A decision by Jurgen Klopp left former Liverpool youngster Connor Randall feeling “embarrassed” and “ashamed” during his time at Anfield.
While some Liverpool starlets like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harvey Elliott thrived under Klopp, others like young right-back Randall faced tougher times. The former academy player experienced a particularly harsh moment when Klopp subbed him at half-time during a 2-1 defeat to Wolves in the FA Cup.
The Reds were trailing by two goals at the break in the fourth round in 2017, and despite Divock Origi’s late goal narrowing the gap, they crashed out of the competition, much to the dismay of fans and Klopp, who copped flak for the loss. But for then 21-year-old local lad Randall, the substitution was a crushing blow.
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Recalling the incident on the Football Journeys Podcast, the now 28-year-old said: “I can remember it clear as day, going into the changing room and getting taken off. I just stood in the shower, I think the game was on in the changing room on the telly and I felt ashamed.”
He said: “I felt embarrassed, I felt like [I was] letting everyone down and things like that. All my mates who’d come to watch me, a few of my mates, my family, they were upstairs and obviously you [usually] go and speak to them and whatever,” reports the Mirror.
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“I remember just going straight to the car. I was sat in the back of the car, putting my hood up and hiding. Not that that makes any difference, but at the time that’s the way I felt.
“I just wanted to go home, get in the house and stay in the house. I can remember it clear that night. My sister, my little nephew and that came round and when they left I just went up to bed and tried to go to sleep, sort of just shut off from everything.
“If I’m being honest I did find it tough. Not just football, I probably took it with me outside of football as well. The biggest emotion is being half-ashamed, even going out, you don’t want to go places and for people to see you and go ‘that sh*t player’ or whatever.”
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Maghull-born Randall failed to secure a position in the starting XI following that game. He was loaned out to Hearts for one season and then had a six-month spell at Rochdale. Randall departed Liverpool in July 2019 and ended up in the football wilderness for three nerve-wracking months before signing a contract with Bulgarian team Arda Kardzhali.
His Eastern European gig was brief, as he moved on to Ross County on a free transfer the next year where he continues to play. Randall concedes the pain of his premature departure from Anfield gnawed at him. He said: “I definitely kept it with me for a lot longer than I probably should have and I did dwell on it and let it get to me in a way that I would never do now.
“When you step up and you do get that opportunity it’s brilliant, but it is tough on the mental side of things. It’s just a completely new sort of pressure that you’ve never experienced before.”