AcademyBarry Lewtas on Jarell Quansah, Blackpool visit and Neil Critchley reunion

Having coached the Warrington-born centre-back from a young age at the Academy, this season the 20-year-old has made both his Premier League and European debuts.

Quansah, who has been with the club since the age of five, was Lewtas’ captain at U19 level in the UEFA Youth League.

The U21s return to action tonight when they head to Blackpool in the EFL Trophy and a reunion with former Academy coach Neil Critchley, manager of the Seasiders, awaits.

In their opening game Lewtas’ charges claimed their first-ever win in the competition, earning an impressive 3-0 victory over League Two Morecambe.

Blackpool also won their opening fixture in Group A with a 2-0 away success at Barrow.

Ahead of the 7pm BST kick-off at Bloomfield Road, read on as Lewtas previews the tie, talks of his admiration for Critchley, Quansah and more with Liverpoolfc.com...

On the displays of Quansah so far…

He has done very well and we are proud of him. We are proud of all the boys in terms of when they play for the first team, whether they move on or whether they go out on loan. Obviously, their dream is to play and be a professional footballer, but making your debut and playing for Liverpool is the dream and that’s what they all have when they join this club. This season Jarell has fulfilled his dream and made his debut but he has contributed to the squad and done ever so well.

He’s a real humble boy and he will see this as the start of his journey and he will want to get better. Training with those players in the first team as well as the coaching staff, he is working with the best in the world and will only get better. Our paths have crossed in quite a few age groups from right down to when he was 12 so we have been around each other for a while from the U16, U18, U19 and U21 teams. Some would say I didn’t coach him and that he has survived! I’m really pleased for him and he knows there is a lot of hard work ahead.

On the win at Morecambe in the opening EFL Trophy game…

It was a proud night. For us, I think a lot is made about us having no previous wins in this competition but this team changes so often at U21 level. It’s not like we are fielding the same team in every game for a variety of reasons so every game is a new one, a new challenge and we attack every game just like that. That was a special night, though, and I thought the way we played and the way we approached the game, we managed to stifle their threat and express ourselves. To go 3-0 the way we did in the first half showcases that and it wasn’t by chance.

On the 4-2 away win over Crystal Palace in Premier League 2…

It was a really strong Crystal Palace team and the lads were brilliant. We had three close games against them in league and cup last season, losing twice and then winning in the final game of the season. They were all close games, competitive and played in the right way, but even though they went down to 10 men I thought we were brilliant all the way through the game. I was really proud of the players and I told them that after the game.

On Luke Chambers making his senior debut as a substitute against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup…

That was great for Chambo. In the second half of last season he went out on loan to Kilmarnock and did ever so well. He missed pre-season through injury but he’s worked hard to get back, he has played a few games for us and been training regularly with the first team. To come on and make your debut is a special moment, especially if you look at how long he has been at the club since the age of six. It’s the same as Jarell and long may it continue.

On the test posed by Blackpool…

We are excited. We are playing against a team who were in the Championship last season and now a real top League One side. Obviously they are managed by Critch as well so there’s lots of special parts to it. We will be playing against one of the biggest clubs in this competition, we are well aware of that and there is that kind of romance about it as well with not just Critch but Mike Garrity. This is a great competition to give our young players experience of senior football, we always try to win every game we play so we will go out there and give it everything that we have got and see how we go.

On his admiration for Critchley and Garrity…

Critch was the U21s coach and I was the U18s coach. I was there at Anfield that night when Critch took charge of the team that beat Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup, which was very special for all of us at the Academy. I was also involved in UEFA Youth League campaigns with him. Critch and Mike were big parts of my journey at the Academy in terms of my learning and my development.

Without a doubt those two played a big part in where I am now in my role at Liverpool. I have a lot of admiration for them and look forward to seeing them on Tuesday night. So, it will be really good to see them, but I still want to beat them!

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