NewsAlex Inglethorpe signs new contract as LFC Academy manager

After joining the Reds from Tottenham Hotspur in 2012, Inglethorpe spent two years as reserve team/U21s manager before taking the role of Academy director at Kirkby in 2014.

His period at the helm has been one of ongoing success for the youth programme at the club, producing significant players for Jürgen Klopp’s first team while many others have broken through at LFC before continuing their careers successfully elsewhere, both in England and Europe.

While player production is paramount, the Academy’s U18s side has also reached two FA Youth Cup finals in the past four seasons, lifting the trophy for the first time in 12 years in 2019.

LFC sporting director Julian Ward said: “The work that has taken place at the Academy over a long period speaks for itself and Alex has been fundamental to everything that has been achieved so it is really good news that he will continue in a role in which he excels.

“The demands placed on an Academy director are significant – we want players to develop as sportsmen and as people, we want players to come through to the first-team squad, we want our youngsters to be given the best possible care, support and guidance – and, again, Alex has proven himself to be a leader in these fields and many more besides.

“In recent years, the progress of Academy talent towards the first-team environment and making their mark in the wider professional game is testament to the expertise and input of our Academy coaches and practitioners across the age groups. For this to happen, of course, a positive working culture has to be in place and under Alex this has always been the case.

“So Alex extending his commitment to Liverpool made perfect sense. The good thing is it made perfect sense for him too, which means he can continue this work, which will undoubtedly be of great benefit to us as a club and to the young footballers who we are entrusted with developing.”

Inglethorpe will bring up a decade of service with the Reds before Christmas and is the latest figure to commit his future to the club, after Klopp and assistant managers Pepijn Lijnders and Peter Krawietz agreed similar long-term extensions in April.

He told Liverpoolfc.com: “My primary role is to be around the players and to help them. It’s a privilege and an honour. Every day I feel very lucky to be getting out of bed and working with the staff that I am and working with the players that I’ve got.

“It really isn’t much of a decision. Like most people, I spent the best part of 20 years trying to get here and when you’re here you don’t really want to leave.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to be offered the chance to continue evolving and creating what we do and I’ve still got as much energy and enthusiasm for the role as I had on day one. The biggest compliment you can be paid is to be trusted to do your job.”