'I'm not going to say' - Jarell Quansah honest admission as he works closely with Liverpool coach
For a player who ended last season as first choice at the heart of Liverpool's defence, it might feel to Jarell Quansah like he has taken a backwards step since Arne Slot took charge in the summer. The final term of Jurgen Klopp's decorated tenure represented a breakthrough one for Quansah, who went from relative obscurity in the Academy ranks to a starring alongside Virgil van Dijk as he made 33 appearances in total.
It's Quansah, in fact, who has the honour of scoring the final goal of Klopp's nine-year tenure at Anfield but the strike he registered in a 2-0 win against Wolves in mid-May will surely be the last thing the Warrington-born centre-back is remembered for as a Liverpool player.
Withdrawn on the opening day of the Premier League season against Ipswich Town, the decision to bring him off in favour of Ibrahima Konate saw a spotlight shone on his performance on the day at Portman Road but Slot has since clarified his insistence that too many duels were being lost against the powerful Liam Delap was more of a team-wide problem than a specific failing of Quansah, who turns 22 before the end of the month.
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It should be noted that Quansah's rise to first-team prominence last term, particularly in the final weeks, was in part due to the downturn of form suffered by Konate, who has since looked a player rejuvenated under Slot, and while the England Under-21 international may be somewhat frustrated at an inability to kick on and really establish himself as Van Dijk's centre-back partner, it's also fair to reflect that not every 21-year-old academy graduate at a club the size of Liverpool breezes into the senior ranks without a setback or two or strong competition for a place.
It's something Quansah himself acknowledged as he pondered his current status within the Reds' squad, saying: "Every game is a learning process for myself. I am not getting too down if I make a mistake or two.
"I just know I need to learn. It is going to be a long career for myself hopefully. Try to keep level, don’t let the highs be too high and don’t get too low with the lows. Temperament is the most important thing for me or a young centre back. [I] learn off the players around me."
Twenty-seven of those 33 games were starts last season, including the memorable Carabao Cup victory against Chelsea at Wembley in late February, and such was the defender's form that he eventually played his way to the fringes of the England squad, narrowly missing out on Gareth Southgate's contingent for the European Championship in Germany after training with the Three Lions before the travelling group was confirmed.
The summer months brought with it interest from Newcastle, who were told firmly that Liverpool had no interest in using the young centre-half as a makeweight in deal for winger Anthony Gordon with Anfield officials viewing Quansah as a mainstay of the England setup for years to come. The frustration at missing out on a spot for the Euros were perhaps tempered by the fact that Quansah was still in the fledgling stages of his football journey. This campaign has not been as seamless as the progress appeared to be last term, however.
After the first-half hooking at Ipswich was followed by an own goal in a Carabao Cup victory over West Ham United, before a loose pass led to a goal for Brighton in the following round. Quansah was subjected to a difficult night up against Gordon in a 3-3 draw at Newcastle when operating as a makeshift right-back last month, before he was forced off with an illness in the first half of the recent League Cup defeat at Tottenham. The ascent to first-team stardom has certainly been more turbulent this time out.
Quansah says: "I am not going to sit here and say it’s easy. It is always tough. But it is all about how you prepare, putting yourself in the best mind frame and physical condition. It is not easy when you are not in the team but you need to do everything you can for the team. Keep pushing.
"I have not changed anything. I am always looking at my game whether I play good or bad. I am not going to be the finished article yet. I am my harshest critic, I have always said that. But whether I play good or bad, I will criticise myself. When I play my best games, that is probably when I have been the harshest on myself.
"I like to work on myself. I could name 100 things that you guys wouldn’t see. The manager could say a few things but I am just working to be where I want to be in the future. I know it will not happen overnight. It takes hours and hours of work and that is what I am willing to do."
For a young defender trying to improve, there are likely few better centre-back departments to do that than at Liverpool where legendary club captain Van Dijk regularly leads next to Konate and Gomez, who, at the respective ages of 25 and 27, are approaching prime years. Quansah also has former Netherlands star John Heitinga to tap into the coaching staff meaning the 21-year-old is spoiled for choice.
"I can lean on all of the senior players," he says. "I am not going to pick out one. I think the lot of them have definitely helped me. Not that I’ve been bad or anything! It’s just about keeping my confidence up and playing to the levels I know I can.
"I can always lean into [Heitinga]. He is an established centre back with a great career so I can always pick his head. He often comes to me too, maybe I am trying to do stuff by myself but he will come to me and show me clips, help me find a positive mindset for any game I play in.
"If I take a little bit of their (Liverpool's other centre-backs') games, it will put me in a great position. I have the belief I am able to do that as well. As well as their qualities and abilities on the pitch, for me it is off the pitch as well.
"They keep me hungry and want to keep pushing for whatever it may be. I am happy they are willing to invest time in me as well."
Quansah was speaking after his full debut in the Champions League saw the Reds qualify for the knockout stages with a 2-1 win over Lille and a point now away at PSV Eindhoven next week will see Arne Slot's side finish as table winners of the revamped European Cup.
"It was a very enjoyable experience for myself," Quansah says. "I have worked so hard for my career and to be able to play in the Champions League at Anfield, a dream come true for myself. I'm very proud. For me and my family.
"Obviously I couldn’t hear the theme tune too much because of the boos! (Liverpool fans boo UEFA anthem after 2022 Campions League final chaos). But it is definitely a dream come true. I am trying to keep perspective on it. When things are not going my way, I can look back at nights like tonight. I will always have that. That will always be under my belt and I am grateful for the opportunity."