In this week's Academy column, Academy director Alex Inglethorpe tells us why Joao Carlos Teixeira will return stronger than ever after he suffered a serious injury during his loan spell at Brighton.

It was a real shame for everyone at the club when we heard the news that Joao had broken his leg. I've spoken to him and am happy to report he is feeling really positive. After the initial disappointment he has got his head around the fact that arguably if there was ever a good time to be injured, which of course there isn't, then he accepts it's probably now, because it means he has a greater chance of being available for the start of next season. He has played a significant number of Championship games and done ever so well during his loan spell with Brighton.

As disappointed as he is and as disappointed as we all are for him, he is in a lot more positive frame of mind and he will be back stronger than ever. Joao has a real dedication to become better at what he wants to do. He has been at a really good club under a couple of very good managers in Sami Hyypia and Chris Hughton. I know a couple of the older pros at Brighton took him under their wing and he has had a lot of good influences around him this season.

It can be a tough time when a player is injured but the character is important and Joao and Jordan Rossiter, who has been out injured as well, have a strong one. When Jordan got injured it was around the time he was in the first-team squad and it would have been brilliant for us to have him when we played Benfica in the last 16 UEFA Youth League game and we missed him. He would have featured in more training sessions at Melwood and perhaps more first-team squads as well, so it has been disappointing for him to miss out but the two lads have great characters and they come back stronger.

A young player we are delighted to see back on the pitch again is Samed Yesil and it was great to see him get two goals for the U21s when they beat Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane last Friday night. The one thing we know with Samed is he is a goal threat. He's had a horrible two years really trying to regain his fitness after two cruciate operations, and he's picked up one or two little niggles as well. He's shown real perseverance and it's great when you see Samed playing and scoring goals because you see that smile come back on his face. Everyone was really pleased and Samed was a popular goalscorer last Friday night.

This week our U15 squad have been in Dubai as we were delighted to accept an invitation to play a friendly game with the United Arab Emirates. It's a wonderful opportunity and it's far afield from when I was a young lad playing football at that level because the opportunities weren't there. It's great for the lads and the staff to travel and represent Liverpool Football Club. It was a really kind invite for us to go out there and play against their national side, and it's a wonderful opportunity for our players to test themselves in what will be very difficult conditions and not what they are used to.

In late July we will be sending our youngsters to Northern Ireland once again to compete in the Dale Farm Milk Cup. There's a lot of history to be involved in the event. I've been there a few times before and it's always very well run and incredibly hospitable. It's also very tough because the Irish sides see it as an excellent opportunity to test themselves against you and you've also got some outstanding international teams that go as well. It's a difficult competition to win but it's fantastic for our youngsters to be involved in.

Last week of course was very emotional when I took the Academy squad to the Hillsborough Memorial Service at Anfield. Always on that occasion you are reminded how fantastic this club is and it's wonderful the Academy is given the opportunity to be part of such an occasion as we pay our respects. What is vital and we make sure the Academy players understand the relevance of the occasion as a lot of them wouldn't have been born in 1989. We also have a lot of lads from outside the Merseyside area so they have to understand the significance of the service and why it's such a huge part of our history, and for them to pay their respects is pivotal to that and being part of the Academy.