Stephen Darby would have been forgiven for being perhaps the only Liverpudlian who became downhearted when Rafa Benitez shelled out a club record £16m on a right-back this summer.
As if getting into the Liverpool team was not difficult enough he now has to compete with England’s first choice in that position for a place in the Reds starting line up.
But if Darby is in need of any inspiration as he attempts to prove that he can do a job for the team he supports then he could do a whole lot worse than look at the progress fellow full back Emiliano Insua has made over the last 12 months.
Last summer it was Insua’s turn to see his manager spend a club record on a player who operates in his position when Andrea Dossena was signed in a £7m deal, but as it turned out it was the Argentinian youngster and not the Italian international who found favour with his manager more and more as the season wore on.
It is an example which the naturally optimistic but always realistic Darby is hoping to follow in the coming campaign.
“Last season I was lucky enough to play for the first-team twice,” said the double youth cup winner.
“Now I want to build on that, work hard in training and hopefully get a few more opportunities.
“I signed a new contract recently and that was fantastic for me because I dreamed of playing for Liverpool as a boy so when I was offered the new deal the only thought on my mind was to sign it.”
Insua may have a slight edge on Darby in terms of experience having played 18 first team games compared to his opposite number’s two, but that doesn’t mean the Buenos Aires-born defender feels any more secure in the Liverpool squad.
“I know the last season was a good one for me because I played more games than I did in the season before but that has gone and now I have new challenges and new targets,” he said.
“If I can improve and show that I am working hard then maybe I can be involved in even more games this time – this is what I will be trying to do.”
For both full-backs the road towards hopefully confirming their first team credentials began in the sleepy Swiss town of St Gallen on Wednesday night with Insua playing the first half and Darby doing the second 45 minutes of Liverpool’s largely uneventful goalless draw.
The duo were just delighted to get some playing time under their belts as they bid to build on their match fitness ahead of the kick off of Liverpool’s Premier League season at White Hart Lane on Sunday 16 August.
Insua said: “It was good to get back to action because when you start playing games you know that the new season is not too far away.
“We are all looking forward to the new season and we hope that it will be a very good one for us but we also know that we will have to work very hard before then to make sure that we have got our fitness and that we are ready.”
“I thought the lads played really well in the first half against St Gallen,” added Darby.
“They were getting forward really well and were creating chances and I think we continued that in the second half so it was good for me to be a part of that.
“It was great for me to be involved again, especially with there being so many young lads out on the trip to Switzerland.
“The fact there are so many youngsters here proves that if you work hard and train well then you will get your chance.
“The manager has told me to work hard, take every day as it comes and then see what happens so that’s what I’m trying to do.
“It’s good for me that there are so many first team players who are willing to help the young lads and give us advice when we need it, that’s a massive help.”
The arrival of Glen Johnson does not make life more difficult for Darby though, not if the former Portsmouth man’s first appearance in a red shirt is anything to go by.
Benitez deployed his £16m man in the left back berth as he looks to smooth off some of his rough defensive edges and the Reds boss clearly believes Johnson is versatile enough to operate in that role.
Not that Insua is phased by this in any way.
“Glen played very well in his first game but this was no surprise to us because we know he is a good player because we have seen him in training,” said the 20-year-old.
“He is a good player and a good person and it is good for us that we now have him in our squad.
“Now I must wish him well because if Glen does well then it can only be good news for the team.
“It is also good for the team that he can play in both full back positions because it is always helpful if you have players who are versatile.
“I cannot afford to think about how this might affect me though. All I can do is focus on the next game and try to use pre-season to make sure I am fit for the first Premier League game on August 16.”
Pre-season may only just have begun but the battle for places is already as hot as ever and Stephen Darby and Emiliano Insua are clearly up for the fight.
As if getting into the Liverpool team was not difficult enough he now has to compete with England’s first choice in that position for a place in the Reds starting line up.
But if Darby is in need of any inspiration as he attempts to prove that he can do a job for the team he supports then he could do a whole lot worse than look at the progress fellow full back Emiliano Insua has made over the last 12 months.
Last summer it was Insua’s turn to see his manager spend a club record on a player who operates in his position when Andrea Dossena was signed in a £7m deal, but as it turned out it was the Argentinian youngster and not the Italian international who found favour with his manager more and more as the season wore on.
It is an example which the naturally optimistic but always realistic Darby is hoping to follow in the coming campaign.
“Last season I was lucky enough to play for the first-team twice,” said the double youth cup winner.
“Now I want to build on that, work hard in training and hopefully get a few more opportunities.
“I signed a new contract recently and that was fantastic for me because I dreamed of playing for Liverpool as a boy so when I was offered the new deal the only thought on my mind was to sign it.”
Insua may have a slight edge on Darby in terms of experience having played 18 first team games compared to his opposite number’s two, but that doesn’t mean the Buenos Aires-born defender feels any more secure in the Liverpool squad.
“I know the last season was a good one for me because I played more games than I did in the season before but that has gone and now I have new challenges and new targets,” he said.
“If I can improve and show that I am working hard then maybe I can be involved in even more games this time – this is what I will be trying to do.”
For both full-backs the road towards hopefully confirming their first team credentials began in the sleepy Swiss town of St Gallen on Wednesday night with Insua playing the first half and Darby doing the second 45 minutes of Liverpool’s largely uneventful goalless draw.
The duo were just delighted to get some playing time under their belts as they bid to build on their match fitness ahead of the kick off of Liverpool’s Premier League season at White Hart Lane on Sunday 16 August.
Insua said: “It was good to get back to action because when you start playing games you know that the new season is not too far away.
“We are all looking forward to the new season and we hope that it will be a very good one for us but we also know that we will have to work very hard before then to make sure that we have got our fitness and that we are ready.”
“I thought the lads played really well in the first half against St Gallen,” added Darby.
“They were getting forward really well and were creating chances and I think we continued that in the second half so it was good for me to be a part of that.
“It was great for me to be involved again, especially with there being so many young lads out on the trip to Switzerland.
“The fact there are so many youngsters here proves that if you work hard and train well then you will get your chance.
“The manager has told me to work hard, take every day as it comes and then see what happens so that’s what I’m trying to do.
“It’s good for me that there are so many first team players who are willing to help the young lads and give us advice when we need it, that’s a massive help.”
The arrival of Glen Johnson does not make life more difficult for Darby though, not if the former Portsmouth man’s first appearance in a red shirt is anything to go by.
Benitez deployed his £16m man in the left back berth as he looks to smooth off some of his rough defensive edges and the Reds boss clearly believes Johnson is versatile enough to operate in that role.
Not that Insua is phased by this in any way.
“Glen played very well in his first game but this was no surprise to us because we know he is a good player because we have seen him in training,” said the 20-year-old.
“He is a good player and a good person and it is good for us that we now have him in our squad.
“Now I must wish him well because if Glen does well then it can only be good news for the team.
“It is also good for the team that he can play in both full back positions because it is always helpful if you have players who are versatile.
“I cannot afford to think about how this might affect me though. All I can do is focus on the next game and try to use pre-season to make sure I am fit for the first Premier League game on August 16.”
Pre-season may only just have begun but the battle for places is already as hot as ever and Stephen Darby and Emiliano Insua are clearly up for the fight.
No comments:
Post a Comment