Tranmere must rely on homegrown stars

May 7 2009 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

TRANMERE’S proud reputation for developing young talent extends back more than 20 years. But rarely, over the course of the past two decades, have they needed the department to produce players of first-team potential as much as they do now.

As budgets tighten and Rovers lose the ability to compete for the best-paid players at League One level, so the club’s reliance on homegrown talent increases.

Only last week manager Ronnie Moore told shareholders: “The youth policy has got to be a big part of the way forward for this club.

“Our youth set-up is second to none at this level and at the moment we have a crop of players coming through. They are fringe players for the moment but I see them as future first-team players.”

Tranmere have added three first-year professionals to the squad for next season: the versatile Ash Taylor, midfielder Ryan Fraughan and striker Josh Macauley.

The two teenagers who turned professional a year ago, Aaron Cresswell and Terry Gornell, broke into the first team this season. Macauley and Taylor have already made brief substitute appearances in the first-team.

It all adds up to a satisfying season for the trio of full-time professionals who drive Tranmere’s youth development operation – Warwick Rimmer, Kenny Shiels and Shaun Garnett.

Garnett, whose responsibilities extend to coaching the reserve team as well as the youth team says: “This has been a successful season in terms of putting players on the road to a professional career and playing in our first-team.

“As Warwick points out, the second contract is the important one for the youngsters so the hard work starts now for Ryan, Ash and Josh. The platform is there for them. They have shown that they really want to become professionals.

“This season we saw Aaron Cresswell and Terry Gornell play more than a dozen games each in the first-team and now they have earned two-year contracts.

“When young players first go into the first-team it’s a question of sink or swim and those two have benefited from working with the manager and Peter Shirtliff. They have kicked on. What’s important for them now is putting games under their belts.”

Garnett hopes next season’s trio of first-year professionals can make a similar impact.

Taylor, a local boy from Bromborough, who has been with Rovers since age 11, spent several months of this season on loan with UniBond League part-timers Colwyn Bay.

Garnett said: “Ash is six-feet-four, has good ability in both feet and is tactically aware. He’s played as a central midfielder season but can also play centre-back.

“We sent him to Colwyn Bay to improve his physical attributes and to show him how competitive senior football can be.

“The fact that former Tranmere players like Gary Jones, Dave Challinor and Graham Branch are at Colwyn Bay meant that Ronnie Moore knew Ash would be surrounded by good professionals. They are able to give Ash an education on the pitch.”

Central midfielder Fraughan is from Liverpool. Garnett said: “Ryan’s strength is going forward and he has bags of ability. He is left footed and can open up defences because he’s clever on the ball and quick.”

Macauley scored 29 goals for the reserve and youth teams this season, the majority of them at the junior level. Garnett said: “Josh has worked hard at his game and still has plenty to learn. What Josh has to show next season is that the can score goals in the reserves on a more regular basis. He managed four in 16 games this season.

“Josh wasn’t 18 until March and he’s one of the youngest of the group.”

Tranmere finished below halfway in the Puma youth Alliance that Garnett insists: “That does not tell the whole story.”

He explained: “We tended to put a lot of our older trainees in the reserve team, which is a good learning tool for them. That meant we were involving a good number of under 16 players in the youth team.

“We put out our strongest teams in the cup competitions and we were very competitive. We went to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup and the northern final of the Youth Alliance Cup, and only went out of those competition on penalties.”