Virgil Van Dijk delivers emotional speech to Liverpool kids
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- Teenagers Jayden Danns and Lewis Koumas scored in opposition to Southampton
- Will adrenaline get Liverpool by way of the quadruple stress or will they fall off a cliff? It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Virgil Van Dijk urged his younger Liverpool teammates to ‘stick collectively’ and ‘be courageous’ forward of their FA Cup conflict in opposition to Southampton on Wednesday.
Bobby Clark and James McConnell – each 19 years previous – began within the 3-0 win at Anfield that earned the Reds a quarter-final tie in opposition to Manchester United together with 21-year-old Jarell Quansah and 18-year-old Lewis Koumas, who scored on his skilled debut.
The quartet was joined within the beginning XI by 20-year-old Conor Bradley, whereas 18-year-old Jayden Danns got here off the bench to attain twice.
And footage emerged on social media exhibits Van Dijk telling his youthful teammates to grab their likelihood to impress by expressing themselves.
‘Help one another, push one another. Stick collectively it doesn’t matter what occurs boys,’ the Liverpool captain may be heard saying within the tunnel forward of kick-off.
Virgil Van Dijk delivered an emotional speech to the Liverpool kids forward of the sport in opposition to Southampton on Wednesday night time
The Reds skipper urged his youthful teammates to be ‘get pleasure from’ the event and ‘be courageous’
Van Djik delivered the message within the tunnel forward of kick-off at Anfield
‘Go for it, get pleasure from it, be courageous, filled with confidence, every thing we do.’
It has been a excellent season for Liverpool’s kids, with a number of making their mark in Jurgen Klopp’s facet.
The Reds had eight academy graduates within the squad for his or her 1-0 win over Chelsea within the Carabao Cup closing on Sunday.
Bradley began at Wembley, whereas Danns, Quansah, Clark and McConnell all got here off the bench.
Van Djik’s phrases on Wednesday echoed the message Klopp delivered in his press convention forward of the sport in opposition to Southampton, during which he took the stress off his youthful stars urging them to get pleasure from taking part in soccer.
‘First and foremost, they donât have to indicate something. I do know what you imply. Itâs simply misunderstood,’ he mentioned.
‘The story of Sunday was among the finest soccer tales I ever heard of. Itâs 100 per cent proper.
‘Chelsea was youthful than us, stuff like this. Thatâs a distinct mission [but] itâs not about that [and] we donât examine it.
Lewis Koumas scored the opener on his skilled debut because the Reds received 3-0
Fellow 18-year-old Jayden Danns got here off the bench to attain twice as Liverpool reached the FA Cup quarter-finals the place they’ll face Manchester United
The public may try this, we donât try this. But our boys performed in youth groups [and] U21s, stuff like this, and solely got here up just lately and never educated with us for a very long time.
‘That is the completely nil expertise, however plenty of expertise they usually simply confirmed that. Thatâs the state of affairs now we have to create for the boys.
‘If we play extra of them now tomorrow from the beginning or no matter and we take a look [and say], “Well, youâre not as good as I thought after Sunday,” that might be horrendous.
‘Thereâs completely no stress. All that these boys should do is to essentially get pleasure from what theyâre doing.’
