By Callum Ludwig
One of the biggest soccer clubs in the world has set up a base in the Yarra Ranges, as Mount Lilydale Mercy College (MLMC) becomes a home for the Liverpool Football Club’s International Academy in Australia.
The partnership might one day help students step up from training at Quarry Road to celebrating in front of The Kop, working with local kids with the same coaching curriculum and techniques as those back in Merseyside.
MLMC Principal Phillip Morrison said the transformative partnership will bring together two institutions guided by principles that resonate deeply with the school’s community.
“The Liverpool International Football Academy, with its unwavering commitment to ambition, commitment, dignity and unity, echoes the spirit of resilience and excellence. Their phrase, ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ encapsulates the ethos of solidarity and support that defines us as a community and also defines them as a community,” he said.
“The partnership is not merely a collaboration between institutions, it’s a promise. It’s a promise to nurture talent, to cultivate leadership and to foster a culture of inclusivity and belonging,”
It’s a commitment to provide unparalleled opportunities for growth and development both on and on the field and in the classrooms and beyond. So in the spirit of “You’ll Never Walk Alone’ let us stand together, to grow the potential of community, united in our pursuit of excellence and shared success.”
Originally a show tune from a 1945 musical, ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ has become an anthem synonymous with the Liverpool Football Club, belted out by fans in their home ground at Anfield for over six decades.
Director of the Liverpool International Academy in Australia Kevin Kalinko, who also owns the Australian College of Physical Education, said it was a proud Australian day in the 113-year history of Liverpool Football Club.
“We’ve had many special days back home in the history of the club, like the Miracle of Istanbul, where Liverpool won the prestigious UEFA Champions League in 2005, coming back from 3-0 down at halftime, or the moment we were, after a 30-year wait, crowned English League Champions,” he said.
“But whilst those are special things for us, today is different, as you have heard, Mount Lilydale Mercy College will become the home of the Liverpool FC International Academy High-Performance Program here in the northeastern region of Melbourne,”
“Importantly, in addition to the High-performance program, the partnership with Mount Lilydale Mercy College will see the school host a range of Liverpool FC community training and holiday programs available to all aspiring players in the broader community.”
Alongside MLMC staff and Year Seven, Eight and Nine students in attendance were the principals of some local primary schools and representatives from a range of local soccer clubs in the outer east, all to hear about how the academy could go on develop their kids both as people and players.
At the time of writing, Liverpool sit atop the Premier League table and just picked up the latest piece of silverware in their illustrious trophy cabinet with a 1-0 win in the League (Carabao) Cup final.
The Liverpool Football Club has a solid reputation for promoting academy talent through their ranks; some of the club’s greatest-ever players such as Steven Gerrard and Robbie Fowler came through the youth ranks while a pair of the club’s current stars in Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones are local lads.
A few Australians have also called the Merseyside club home, with winger Harry Kewell, goalkeeper Brad Jones and left back Brad Smith all having made senior appearances for the Reds.
