Former Liverpool U23 captain Corey Whelan spoke to Rush The Kop exclusively.
We talked to him about all sorts. From his time at Phoenix Rising to trying to stamp his mark on a training session featuring Virgil van Dijk, Corey Whelan spoke about it all.
This is the third article in our series of interviews with the defender. Read part one here, and part two here.
This interview covers his time with Liverpool U23s, getting a chance to make it in the squad and what he thinks about Trent Alexander-Arnold and Rhian Brewster.
You came through the Liverpool system and were made captain of the U23s, did you ever feel close to making a first team breakthrough?
The reason you’re at Liverpool it’s your aim, it’s your goal. Every young player at Liverpool has the goal of playing for the first team because of the history, it’s such a great club and they play in a fantastic stadium with a brilliant atmosphere.
In the U23s I felt like I was doing well, I was captain for 18 months to two years and it felt like something that I did wanna go and do, whether that was the bench for the first team, I’d been around them and trained for a little bit and I got a feel for how it is.
It was just one of those things that didn’t come around, sometimes in life and especially football opportunities pass you by and you have to be strong and be like ‘my time is to move on’ and that’s what it got to at Liverpool.
It didn’t end on a sour note, we were both really honest with one another and I needed to find my way and my career.
You look at the squad now and there seems to be a vacancy for that fourth centre-back, do you feel like if you had your time now you could have cracked it?
It sometimes crosses your mind although I tend to try not to think about it because it’s kinda like, that the opportunities past now, and I’ve got to try and look for the next one. Maybe, you know, football can be strange at times.
One minute you can feel in favour and the next you’re nowhere near it. Maybe at Liverpool that I was there right now, maybe I would have got my crack at it. It’s one of those things where I could have still been there and I could have been injured, I couldn’t be available.
It’s weird, when I think back to it I think I’d love to have a go, maybe even been on the bench and got on and made my debut, but the time I spent at Liverpool I wouldn’t change because it gave me things that I need from a young age.
I joined the club at nine and left at 21, it was the best part of 12 years that I spent learning from the best players and best coaching staff.
You trained with the first team, how was that?
It’s was an incredible experience, it’s something that you think of day-in-day-out when you’re growing up. But once you’re there and you’re training with them you’ve got to stamp your mark on the session.
You can’t go in as a tourist and be in awe of these people. When you take a step back and watch it they’re unbelievable players and I took so much from people who were there at the time. Watching van Dijk on a regular basis was something I’ll almost remember because the guy can do pretty much anything from centre-half. Learning under the manager, as well, how he carried himself and what he demanded from the players was an overall good experience.
You went on two loan spells while we’ve seen other U23 captains like George Johnston make a permanent move away without playing any first team football. Who takes that decision to send you out on loan vs keeping others around the club?
Ultimately it’s both parties that make the decision. I got to a stage in the U23s where I felt I needed it, I was ready and Liverpool felt I was ready. It’s a matter of you go in and you say ‘I want to go on loan’. It’s a conversation you have with the academy director and he relays it ot the first team and you make a decision on the best move for you on that stage.
I felt that Liverpool got mine right. I had to go into a tough league, where as a defender, you make clearances and head ablls, win ugly at times and that’s what I needed. I had all the other things at Liverpool, whether that’s technical or tactical awareness, I needed a different challenge and that’s what I got out of it. I was really happy with my loans and it’s helped me moving forward.
You played in a pretty impressive U23 side that included guys like Ben Woodburn, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Rhian Brewster. Who stood out from that side?
We had a good group growing up, there’s no doubt about it. The team I played in one year had me, Ben, Trent, Herbie Kane. We had a lot of talent and we won games pretty much every week for a long time. You see the likes of Trent and Rhian getting their chance, and what they’ve been able to do for the club is fantastic and I’m just happy for them.
You see from a young age what it’s taken to get to that point and when you’re given an opportunity you have to take it. Trent especially, now has hit new heights and I keep in contact and I keep watching the games from out here, it’s really good to see. They’re my mates as well so I’m cheering them on from here.