Conor Coady is a name that you might not have heard up until now – particularly if you don’t pay much attention to the either the Liverpool reserves or the England youth set-up, but you can bet that it’s a name you’ll be hearing more of over the next few years. Performing well in your club’s reserve team is one way to make a name for yourself, but it’s doing the job for your national side that will really get the Press salivating.

It’s little surprise, then, that the media have finally homed in on this young British talent after his wonder-strike against the Germans in an U19 game. Coady controlled the ball whilst under pressure from the German defence, and unleashed a looping shot that crashed off of the German’s post. Remarkably composed and sumptuously executed.

Yet, Coady isn’t best known for his goal-grabbing ability. Although he is capable of the odd long-shot or two, he’s much more at home playing the defensive midfield role and controlling the flow of the game from the centre of the park. He’s a gritty, tough young lad, with tenacity comparable to, dare I say it – Steven Gerrard. Should his development continue at this rate, there’s every chance that Coady will be just as influential for Liverpool as Steven Gerrard has been over the course of his illustrious career.

Just 18 years-old, Coady has already represented England at a number of different levels and managed breeze his way up through the ranks at Liverpool to become a regular in the reserves squad. Indeed, Kenny Dalglish has been so pleased with the Merseyside-born youngster’s progress that he was brought to Prague as part of Liverpool’s Europa League set-up and granted a spot on the bench. He will, perhaps, be looking at the way Jack Wilshere has become such a lynchpin for Arsenal this season playing a similar role in the centre of their midfield and wondering if he can’t emulate his success over the coming seasons.

On the evidence of the video below, there’s every chance that he will.

[ffcvideo file=’lfc_c_coady’]

Read more of Harry’s articles at the excellent ‘This Is Futbol’