Liverpool have been very good at recognising the talent coming through the academy in recent times.
The Reds have seen a plethora of young players get their chances in the first-team over the last two or three years.
In amongst those success stories, though, are players who spend years at Liverpool without ever making the grade.
For many, a release from the Liverpool academy will lead to them dropping out of the professional game altogether.
But for others, their time spent in an elite development environment will mean that they can go on to forge a career in the game elsewhere.
And after looking for a time like he may fall into the former category, son of former Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher, James Carragher, is now doing the latter. And doing it very well.
Ben House of Lincoln City vies for possession with James Carragher of Wigan Athletic during the Sky Bet League One match between Lincoln City FC an...
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James Carragher spotted playing like his dad
Owing to his father being a genuine Liverpool legend, it was perhaps hard for Carragher Jnr to avoid accusations of nepotism at Anfield.
Just like his dad, the 22-year-old does not seemingly possess the natural talent the likes of Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley or others in similar age groups do.
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But, just like his old man, James has knuckled down, worked hard and is very much making the most of what he’s got.
That has led to a real breakthrough at Wigan Athletic this season, where Carragher has played 17 times for the League One team.
READ MORE: Liverpool expected to send ‘special’ player out on-loan in January after summer plans scuppered
The latest of those appearances came on Tuesday, when journalist Paul Kendrick noted the defender coaching Liverpool loanee Calvin Ramsay through an EFL Trophy loss against Chesterfield.
“Watching James Carragher is like watching his dad 20 years ago…running the backline, barking out the orders, contesting every refereeing decision but he’s nursed/encouraged Calvin Ramsay through this opening 30 when it should really be the other way round,” said Kendrick.
“Proud dad!” Carragher Snr later replied. “Mainly about contesting every decision!!”
Calvin Ramsay struggling at Wigan
While it is superb to hear that Carragher is doing so well at Wigan following his release from Liverpool in 2017, this is a worrying update on Ramsay.
The 21-year-old has had a terrible time with injuries since arriving at Anfield in 2022 and where Ramsay once looked like a potential successor to Trent Alexander-Arnold, he now feels unlikely to have a future with the Reds.
No doubt thinking the same, one fan asked Kendrick how Ramsay was doing at Wigan.
“He’s no Luke Chambers, based on what we’ve seen during both of their spells here,” the journalist rather diplomatically answered.
Great to see Carragher making good on a career, but for Liverpool, Ramsay’s form is posing more questions than answers.
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