Rio Ngumoha and what really happened with Arne Slot and the Liverpool Academy
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Liverpool youngster Rio Ngumoha has jetted out to Miami to help England with their World Cup preparationsMuch has been made of Liverpool having no representation in an England squad at a major tournament for the first time in 40 years.But as the Three Lions jetted out to Miami on Monday to begin their preparations for the forthcoming World Cup, Reds youngster Rio Ngumoha was among those to board the plane.England boss Thomas Tuchel confirmed last month the 17-year-old was one of four players - along with Bournemouth's Alex Scott, Josh King of Fulham and Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri, who has been on loan at Marseille this season - to bolster training numbers ahead of the tournament.Given the very real prospect of one of the 26-man party picking up an injury ahead of the opening game against Croatia a fortnight on Wednesday, Ngumoha will use the get-together and possible chances in the friendlies against New Zealand on Saturday and Costa Rica four days later as a chance to impress not only Tuchel but also the next Liverpool boss given the weekend sacking of Arne Slot.There have been claims that among the reasons for Slot being dismissed was a reluctance to utilise and liaise with Liverpool's Academy set-up.Multiple sources, though, have insisted there were no obvious issues between the Dutchman and the Academy. Indeed, the former Reds boss held regular conversations with Academy director Alex Inglethorpe and would often call up youngsters to take part in first-team training sessions.With Rob Page and Simon Wiles coming in to take over as head coach of the under-21 and U18 teams respectively, and a large number of Kirkby graduates having been sold last summer, there is a belief the last 12 months have represented the end of of one cycle and the formative stages of another at the Academy.Nevertheless, Ngumoha played more minutes than any other 17-year-old in the Premier League this season and ended up making 29 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool.Kieran Morrison, the 19-year-old winger, was handed a senior debut and was rewarded for his progress with a new contract signed last week, while Amara Nallo, Kaide Gordon, Wellity Lucky and the now-departed Trent Kone-Doherty all featured for Slot during the campaign.Striker Will Wright and defender Mor Talal Ndiaye both made the bench during the closing weeks, with goalkeeper Kornel Misciur on the bench six times in the Champions League.Slot admitted there would have been more minutes for Academy players but for Jayden Danns having had his season decimated by a hamstring problem after his sole senior outing.If anyone could grumble it's perhaps Trey Nyoni, with the 18-year-old perhaps a victim of circumstance of Liverpool's overall travails, which limited him to just six brief substitute appearances in the Premier League, three run-outs each in the Champions League and FA Cup and two starts in the League Cup.
He remained unused on the bench 30 times.And the chief criticism that could be aimed at Slot was his use of language regarding youth players, even if admittedly few can strike the same inspirational tone as his predecessor Jurgen Klopp - although, it must be said, the two most memorable games for Academy players during his tenure where when the German wasn't even there and then-U23s boss Neil Critchley took charge.Liverpool's next manager, then, will have some promising youngsters with which to work - with Ngumoha leading the way for the new generation.FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE! All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook page