When Jurgen Klopp departed Liverpool, he bestowed not just a talented first-team squad to Arne Slot, but also a prosperous youth system.

The German’s final piece of silverware, the 2024 Carabao Cup, arguably owed itself less to his winning persona and more to Liverpool’s unique football infrastructure. Of the 20-man squad named that day at Wembley, a remarkable eight had been produced by Liverpool’s youth system, while three more - Trent Alexander-Arnold, Stefan Bajcetic and Curtis Jones - were injured.

That so many academy products played starring roles was a source of immense pride for the club as a whole, and it would have been impossible but for the years of tireless work from a dedicated cohort of coaches.

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Kwaku Ohemeng knows more about that than most. He’s not a Liverpool coach, but probably has a better grasp of the club’s underage talent than many who work at Kirkby.

A renowned football coach, known locally as ‘Seedorf’, he has quickly gained a reputation in the North West for providing tailored sessions to help teams, small groups and individual players work on their skills. If you’re reading this with a sense of scepticism, a quick glance through Seedorf's Instagram page provides all the proof needed of his expertise.

As does his list of current and former clients, which includes Anthony Martial, Axel Tuanzebe, Jeremie Frimpong, Adama Traore and Papiss Cisse, among others. “There are more that I sadly can’t say,” Seedorf informs Liverpool.com during a recent interview, with several current Premier League players working with the experienced coach.

Another noteworthy client is Patrick Dorgu, the Leece defender linked with Liverpool and subject of an approach from Manchester United. Should he complete a January transfer, the 20-year-old Dane can thank Seedorf for giving him a first introduction to the city, with the coach typically running sessions at Ardwick in Manchester.

His rise in the industry is remarkable, with a global pandemic providing the unexpected catalyst to launch a full-time business. “I started with my son, who was with Liverpool’s academy, and then four more boys came,” he explained.

“During Covid time, I was posting it on Instagram and people got to know that. I got messages from the parents ‘can I join you?’. Parents would drop kids off and wait in the car, and of course we had to maintain social distancing at that stage.

“When I started this, I did it for the boys. I didn’t know that one day I would coach top players in the top five leagues in the world and some superstars.”

Born in Ghana, Seedorf’s football journey took him first to Anderlecht, where he played for the club’s academy. He then moved to the UK in 2010 and played semi-professional football before his coaching career took off.

Via Seedorf Football Development Coaching, he works on a wide range of skills. “Technical, agility, speed passing, shooting. When you do one session with me you will have done everything.”

Hard work and discipline are at the heart of his training methods and it’s not a surprise that he has been approached by several clubs regarding the possibility of becoming a full-time coach. But that doesn’t appeal to Seedorf, who enjoys the variety of working with youngsters, professionals and players across the football pyramid, as well as some grassroot teams. He even helps the Bermuda Under-17s.

But it’s at Kirkby where his ties are strongest, as his social media accounts hint at. In addition to his Seedorf-branded yellow tracksuits, the coach can often be seen sporting official Liverpool gear during his workout videos.

He has fostered good relations with the club - Alexander-Arnold was recently among those to send his son a happy birthday message. As for Liverpool’s academy staff, they have remarked on the level of attention and detail he gives the players. In fact, some academy coaches will even point parents in Seedorf’s direction and, so thorough are his sessions, every penny spent on petrol for the two-hour round commute up and down the M62 seems worth it.

In total, Seedorf works with nearly 50 youth players on Liverpool’s books and few can claim to have a greater influence on the development of the club’s protegees. So familiar has he become with Liverpool’s youth set-up, Seedorf is now regularly invited by parents to attend games. “I feel proud of them,” he admits.

“From what I know and the players I train, I think Liverpool at Under-12, 13, 14 and 15, there’s a big talent pool,” the coach adds. “If they keep training hard as they are with me and they remain disciplined, they are going to be top talents. Trust me, Liverpool has got some amazing talents there.

“I think a lot of them could play for the first team one day because of the hard work they put in and the talent they have. I don’t have any doubts that most of them can make it.”

That Liverpool is producing an abundance of underage talent is undeniable and of the 28 players selected by Slot this season, 11 have progressed through the club’s youth ranks. Four more have been unused substitutes and those numbers could keep increasing year by year.

Like his predecessor, Slot may one day feel indebted to the hours of work put in by youth coaches at various stages of his players’ careers. Seedorf might deserve the biggest thanks of all.