FRANK McPARLAND insists Kenny Dalglish will know “when the time is right” to give Liverpool youngsters the chance to shine in the first team.

The Academy director was delighted to see John Flanagan, 18, impress on his debut against Manchester City this week, while 17-year-old Jack Robinson was on the bench.

“The great thing is that Kenny knows every player,” McParland said. “When he needs a player he doesn’t just ring up and say ‘can you give me a left-back and a right-back for training?’ He says ‘Frank, I need Robbo and Flano in the morning’. It’s great. My job isn’t to push kids to him. He knows the kids and when the time is right I know he will play them. He won’t play them too early.

“In an ideal world they aren’t going to be regulars in the first team at their age. They have still got their education, their strength, their fitness to do – things we do at the Academy.

“But with all the injuries the boss needs them and dipping in and out of it they will be okay. They have never let themselves down either when they have gone abroad with the first team or when they have gone to train at Melwood.”

McParland has high hopes for the Reds’ under-18s side.

“I’m really excited about the current crop,” he said. “At 17, they are still young but in two years we will have more of an idea. I think most will have a career in football. I couldn’t say that when I started here.

“There will be Premier League players in that side, Championship players and maybe League One players.

“Next season most of them will be in the reserves and I’m really looking forward to seeing how they progress. It will be fantastic experience for them.”