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Liverpool's Jon Flanagan tells Johnny Phillips about his first team ambitions

Image: Flanagan: Ambitious to be a Liverpool regular

"The young boy is not bad. For us that is really encouraging as well because it is a reflection of the work that is being done at the academy and if we have a strong academy it can only benefit us for years to come."

Future
However, there will come a time when Gerrard retires and unless the likes of Flanagan can force their way back into the first team, that could mark the day Liverpool has no local representation in its first team. Fans wouldn't object if the team was winning titles, but it would be that bit better if they could do so with somebody in the team who is one of their own. "The history, and the fact that you know so many people in the city, maybe puts a bit more pressure on you as a local lad," Flanagan added. "But the support is great. Family have been with me since day one and they were the ones that took me to training as a kid, it's been great for them that I've broken through, I just want to go on and play some more now. "It's always important to have local lads in the team. We've seen that with Gerrard and Carragher. But it's becoming more difficult for young local lads to push through as teams do go abroad and buy players. "But if you are 100 per cent committed you can get there."

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