Conor Bradley is now developing into a very effective right-back for Liverpool, but his first-team prospects weren’t always as clear as we see now.
Having made four appearances in the 2021/22 season, Liverpool were left with a decision to make on Bradley; he could either go out on loan or stay as a squad player.
Within the club, key figures held particularly differing views on what would be best for the youngster’s development.
In the end, he was sent to Bolton for the season where he excelled, winning their player of the season award as well as the EFL Trophy.
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The move may have worked out in the long term, but Jurgen Klopp‘s assistant, Pep Lijnders, was at odds with his boss over the decision to loan Bradley.
“I remember that I really fought, proper fought, for Conor to be our No. 2 behind Trent (Alexander-Arnold),” said Lijnders in the new documentary, Doubters to Believers Liverpool FC: Klopp’s Era.
“I was really trying to keep him in the club because I believed that he would already be ready at that time.
“The club makes the decision together with Jurgen get him out on loan, and it really, really upset me a lot.
“There was hard, hard words and it was probably one of the only confrontations I had with Jurgen. He won’t remember it anyway but I remember it.”
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When asked, Klopp admitted he couldn’t remember the interaction and the pair could thankfully smile about the incident.
Lijnders was, after all, right to question whether a loan move was best for Bradley – spells away aren’t the answer for every player.
On this occasion, though, a season in a promotion-pushing third division team did the youngster a world of good.
Of course, he could have still developed into his current swashbuckling full-back without the spell, but the experience gained could only have been a positive.
Across the course of the 53-game season, in which he scored seven goals, he learnt to preserve himself, adapt to different situations and took responsibility to step up when the team needed him.
Should he go on to become Liverpool’s right-back for a very long time, Lijnders’ backing of youngsters like Bradley, shouldn’t be forgotten.
