Jake Cain has described training with Liverpool’s first-team stars as a ‘surreal’ experience while hailing the influence of Jordan Henderson and James Milner, speaking to the club’s official website.
While not everyone was thrilled with Jurgen Klopp’s decision to rest his senior stars during February’s FA Cup replay with Shrewsbury Town, particularly Shrews chief Brian Caldwell, that cold night on Merseyside must have felt like a dream come true for a Wigan-born teenager.
18-year-old Cain played the full 90 minutes as a team full of fresh-faced kids beat the League One outfit 1-0 in front of the Kop.
A technically gifted central midfielder with a penchant for defence-splitting passes, Cain has understandably caught the eye of Klopp and co with his performances at U18 and U23 level in recent months.
But while he is yet to add to his one and only first-team appearance, the young Englishman is quickly becoming something of a regular fixture alongside Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and co at Melwood.
‘Key examples’
“It’s surreal being up there with the first team. With how well they’re doing, it’s just a privilege to be with them at the moment,” says Cain, who impressed in the 6-0 friendly thrashing of Blackburn on Thursday.
“Everything they do is 100 per cent, the attitude to train is 100 per cent. Players like James Milner and Jordan Henderson are just key examples. They’re always on it 100 per cent and if people are slacking then they’ll tell them.
“The standard is always kept high and that’s why they’re doing so well, because the standards are always elite all the time.
“Hopefully I’ll get a few more first-team chances to train up there and show what I’m capable of. Then it might lead to more opportunities to play at Anfield and other fantastic stadiums in England.”
Throughout his storied managerial career, three-time Champions League finalist Klopp has shown no qualms about throwing unproven youngsters in at the deep end, from Robert Lewandowski to Mario Goetze, Trent Alexander-Arnold to Joe Gomez.
Cain could hardly be working under a better coach.
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