Everything You Need to Know About Liverpool's Academy Setup

We've been running our Inside Liverpool FC Academy feature all week here on Bleacher Report, and to finish things off on Friday we've got a complete look at the Academy setup for you.

Day 1—Meet "Liverpool's next Gerrard," Jordan Rossiter and the top five academy prospects.

Day 2—Interview with 15-year-old Yan Dhanda and why Harry Wilson is the next Harry Kewell.

Day 3—Interview with Academy director Alex Inglethorpe and Picking an All-Time Homegrown Liverpool XI.

Day 4—Interview with head of physiotherapy Andrew Renshaw and Interview with head of fitness Andy O'Boyle.

Liverpool's Academy complex at Kirkby is the envy of many, an institution which aims to pave the way for talented youngsters to break through in time toward the first team. It's a setup which prompted Bayern Munich and then-Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola to brand it "the only one that can compare to La Masia," per Catalan Radio (h/t Kopsource).

We've spent all week talking to the people who make it what it is—now here's everything you need to know about the Academy itself.

Summer Restructure

Preseason is always a time of upheaval at football clubs as transfers take effect, managers are changed and hopes and fears are renewed—and Liverpool's academy wasn't exempt this time around. Out went Frank McParland and Rodolfo Borrell toward the end of last season, the director and technical director, while Alex Inglethorpe was promoted to director after previously being the under-21 head coach.

Liverpool FC

Neil Critchley has become the under-18s manager, with Michael Beale taking over the u-21s.

The likes of Andy O'Boyle, Andy Renshaw and Tim Jenkins all provide support in various fitness and analysis capacities, with former Reds winger Richie Partridge on hand as a physio with the u-21s too.

At the head of the pyramid, just below overall director Inglethorpe, Andrew Powlesland runs the academy business and Nick Marshall is in charge of football operations. Both joined the club just this past summer as part of the most recent club overhaul.

Ages and Making it

Liverpool's age groups at the academy range from under-7 to under-21.

The age ranges are split broadly into three sections: Foundation phase, up to age 11, youth development, from 12-16, and professional development from 17-21. Of course the numbers of total academy students may vary from year to year but certainly a couple of hundred being on the club books at any point isn't unheard of.

The Reds' production line took a definite lull after Steven Gerrard progressed from local youngster to first-team star, with Stephen Warnock's 67 first-team appearances the most that any graduate managed between Gerrard's debut in '98 and Brendan Rodgers' reign.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Raheem Sterling is now closing in on a century, making him a big success story, but others have trodden the path less frequently too of late. 2012-13 saw seven Reds youngsters make their debut and others have since followed, such as Jordan Rossiter and Jordan Williams earlier this season.

Even so, elite performance and progress remains a prerequisite for any of the talented teens at the club, no matter if they join at age six or 16.

Pitches and Facilities

Liverpool's academy complex has a range of pitches for the young players to train and play on, whilst all home games (excluding UEFA Youth Champions League) are played at Kirkby. A tremendous, purpose-built site, the modern building combines offices and lecture halls with the expected high standard of gymnasiums and other training support facilities.

The Reds partner with Rainhill High School to offer education programmes to their players, ensuring that both on and off the pitch the youngsters turn out well-rounded and with plans in place in case injury strikes or they fail to secure professional contracts.

Michael Steele/Getty Images

First-team manager Brendan Rodgers, his staff and plenty of players can be seen watching under-21 games at times at the academy and Inglethorpe frequently speaks highly of the manager's enthusiasm and knowledge about the club's youth system and players.

Since Steve Heighway, through Pep Segura, Borrell and now Inglethorpe, it has been the responsibility of those in charge of the academy to ensure an environment where the club's youngsters can progress as footballers and as people. Now as the first team fights to regain its place near the top of the English and European football pyramids, more pressure than ever is on those kids to show they have the quality not only to match first-team players, but to supplant them.

Talent ultimately tells, but the academy puts in place everything to unearth and polish that raw ability.

Follow @karlmatchett