Jurgen Klopp’s motivational Rhys Williams speaks prophetically with a young man ready for an enhanced role

It’s fair to say that life moves on pretty fast for 19-year-old Liverpool defender Rhys Williams.

The Preston-born center-back, who joined the Reds academy at age 10, must have spent the summer thinking that, at best, he would have some chances to shine in the national cups this season. .

But just under two months after he made his club debut in a 7-2 win over Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup, Liverpool’s mounting injury crisis means Williams could become one of the top names in the league. Jurgen Klopp’s equipment list.

It certainly must seem like another world away from his loan stint at the Kidderminster Harriers of the National League North last season.

Joe Gomez appears to have become the latest victim in what is proving to be a rotten season for Liverpool’s medical team, and the England international appears poised to join Vigil van Dijk on the bench for the foreseeable future.

With Klopp’s two remaining senior centers, Joel Matip and Fabinho, also prone to injury, and with the transfer window closed for a few more months, Williams appears ready for a hasty promotion.

Not that it’s likely to baffle you.

Williams has already come up to the plate under heavy pressure once this season, putting in a performance that belies his young age in Atalanta’s 5-0 thrashing in the Champions League last week.

After the game, Klopp revealed a talk he had with Williams and fellow academy graduate Curtis Jones prior to kickoff, and his words seemed prescient given the current situation.

“I asked Curtis and Rhys before the Atalanta game if when they were younger and playing together, if they ever dreamed of situations like that,” Klopp revealed to Liverpoolfc.com.

“Rhys said, ‘I didn’t … because Curtis was always so much better, so I don’t think we have the same dreams.’ Curtis immediately said, “But you’re a central midfielder and I couldn’t play central midfielder.” I said, ‘Yes, that’s right, you couldn’t play in the middle!’

“Tonight was even better than her dreams, so it was really nice. Now, let’s get on with that. “

And “get on with it,” it looks like you will, with Jones also getting far more minutes than he perhaps initially expected at the start of this season.

Williams himself seemed barely able to believe what was happening to him after Atalanta’s game, although he hinted that he hoped there would soon be more games of similar importance to him.

“Well, I was hoping for an opportunity but I wasn’t expecting it as good as this!” he said.

“There is nothing better than a 5-0 away win against Atalanta, so I’m really happy.

“I’m happy that the boss trusts me and I’m going to continue to pay for his faith with performances and nights like this, so I hope to continue to have a chance and continue to make everyone proud.”

So far Williams has barely been wrong when asked, but he will face more difficult tests if, indeed, Klopp puts him on the squad right away, with players like Leicester, Ajax, Wolves and Tottenham before Christmas.

However, the Reds boss clearly has great faith in the player and praised the influence of elite development coach Vitor Matos for his role in Williams’ development.

Speaking about a previous injury crisis, Klopp said: “At the time, Vitor said, ‘Yeah, Rhys Williams. A great talent, he looks really promising and we should take him to train ‘and from the first moment he impressed.

“Before that, I hadn’t heard much about Rhys, to be honest, and that’s what I call a huge shock because he has helped us tremendously. Besides, he’s a good boy, a proper Scouser. “

Sometimes players have to work hard for opportunities, sometimes those opportunities come through luck, and sometimes it can be a combination of both.

In Williams’ case, it certainly seems like the latter, and now he has a great opportunity to move to the next level in football.

If he can grab it with both hands, he could become Liverpool’s next cult hero.

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