Rio Ngumoha's parents sent immediate warning after Liverpool starlet's Newcastle heroics

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net.

Rio Ngumoha enjoyed one of the most unbelievable Premier League debuts in recent years(Image: Liverpool FC, Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

The jubilant, wide-eyed celebration of Rio Ngumoha against Newcastle United could well become an iconic moment in Liverpool's history.

A matter of days before his 17th birthday, the young prodigy netted a stunning winning goal to secure a 3-2 away victory for the Reds over the Magpies.

However, before the inevitable flood of endorsement deals and media attention comes his way, former football wonderkind Sonny Pike has urged his family to protect him from opportunists looking to cash in on his talent.



In the 1990s, at just 14 years old, Pike was dubbed 'the English Maradona' and had sponsorship agreements with the likes of Paul Smith, McDonald's and Mizuno.

All these deals, along with numerous media and television opportunities with shows like Blue Peter and Fantasy Football, were negotiated by his father, a builder who had no interest in football until Pike's skills were discovered, despite the youngster wanting to concentrate solely on honing his abilities.

READ MORE:Alexander Isak makes final decision on Newcastle exit after crunch talks with Toon ownersREAD MORE:Liverpool broke own 'rule' for Rio Ngumoha that shows 16-year-old's true value

On the field, Pike had caught the eye of Ajax, who regularly flew him from his home in Enfield to Amsterdam, where he trained alongside stars such as Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart.

Pike's harrowing experiences serve as a cautionary tale for families of gifted youngsters dreaming of reaching the top.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Pike, who now dedicates himself to his one-to-one football coaching business, shared some sage advice for Ngumoha's family and others in similar situations.

It's also about how their families react to all the attention as well, because it's not just him.

"There'll be people trying to get into his mum and dad or his cousins and everything else.

Can they get people around them to help manage the pressure, because they're going to get a lot of people around them that want to be around them just for their own benefits."

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content.