'Being part of the squad in the Champions League was incredible'
Harvey Davies could be forgiven for thinking he’s living in a dream at this moment in time.
A first-year scholar with Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s side, the U18s goalkeeper has recently been training alongside Alisson Becker at the AXA Training Centre.
Not only that, a call-up to the first-team squad for a Champions League trip arrived earlier this month, with Davies on the plane bound for Budapest.
Then, on March 10, the 17-year-old was named on the bench for the second leg of Liverpool’s last-16 tie with RB Leipzig.
It’s been quite a journey for the young Scouser, who only made his U18s debut in the FA Youth Cup away at Tottenham Hotspur last season.
Read on as Davies tells Liverpoolfc.com about living his Reds dream and why training regularly with Alisson can only make him become a better goalkeeper…
On training with the first-team squad recently…
It’s great and I love it! It means a lot to me and my family because I’ve been at the club since I was really young. It’s something I’ve been working hard for and it’s just nice to be given this opportunity. It’s brilliant to work with Alisson and Adrian and learn off them and see what they do every day. I’m learning a lot from John Achterberg and Jack Robinson. I’ve just tried to take everything in. When I’m not working, I just try to take everything in and watch how Alisson and Adrian train and listen to what they say.
On his first day training with the seniors…
It was nerve-wracking, you know. I was a bit scared at first but everyone just made me feel really welcome. Everyone is so supportive and it’s a really nice environment to come into. I’ve just tried to keep on doing what I’ve been doing, which is what has got me here. I’ve been working hard and just trying to keep as many balls out the net as I can and do my job. The level and the intensity of the sessions is very high.
On working closely alongside Alisson…
There’s nothing better than training with the best ‘keeper in the world, you can’t get better than that. When I first got told I was coming up here, I thought, ‘I’ve got an opportunity here to learn so much, so I’m going to take it all in.’ Alisson is unbelievable in training – I don’t think I’ve seen him let in many goals! He’s world-class and he’s been helping me in training as well and giving me advice on certain things. He’s just a really nice guy as well. The things he’s been telling me will help me get to that next level because that’s where I want to be and he knows that.
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On finding out he would be part of the first-team squad for the Champions League tie in Budapest…
I had played my first game for the U23s in a friendly against Accrington Stanley and then I was training with the first team. I found out on the Monday before the game that I would be going. Jack told me in training. It didn’t really feel that real. Just being part of that is crazy and it went so quickly as well. Everyone was so nice. It was brilliant. I was just made up and it was like a little dream come true. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and then to be called up for a Champions League game in the knockout stages, it’s just great. I called my dad straight away and he was so proud, then I told my mum, my sister and the rest of my family, who were so happy for me. It was just a nice feeling to know they were proud of me.
On travelling with the team to Budapest…
It was incredible. Even just travelling to the airport and then sitting in the lounge talking to Alisson. We were speaking about the game and the whole experience was just amazing. It’s very different to going on a tour with the younger lads and it was just great to be part of it.
On words of advice from Jürgen Klopp…
He came up to me before the game and said a few words to me. He was really happy to have a young Scouser on the bench, he was really supportive and made sure I fitted in really well. He made sure I didn’t swap my shirt as well. He’s brilliant. The shirt is going to be framed. At the moment it’s in my wardrobe on a hanger but my mum said she will sort that for me.
On still being a first-year Academy scholar with the U18s…
I couldn’t have dreamed this, to be honest! I didn’t think it would happen so soon as well because I’ve not had that run of games in the U18s team. I have learned so much during this time and still being a first-year scholar makes it even better. Training with the first team, I look at the game very differently now in terms of the intensity of it, the speed of it and everything is so much faster. I need to keep working as hard as I can, listen to the advice of the coaches and keep improving.
On his Academy journey so far…
I first came at pre-Academy level when I was eight and I came on trial first. It was Ian Barrigan and Arthur Edwards who scouted me. Arthur sadly passed away last year, he was great. There was about 30 or 40 goalkeepers and I got kept on. From there it went uphill really and I have played for every age group. I have loved every minute of it. Obviously with COVID-19 it’s been different being a first-year scholar as we haven’t been able to have the usual full U18s experience really and not been able to do a pre-season tour yet. But I’ve loved every second of it.
On trying to stake a claim to be U18s No.1 and listening to the Academy goalkeeper coaches…
There is a competition there with Jakub [Ojrzynski], Fabian [Mrozek] and Oscar [Kelly] but we all want the best for each other. There’s been a few injuries across the goalkeeping department, so it’s opened paths for us all. I love working with the Academy goalkeeper coaches Mark Morris, Neil Edwards and Ian Dunbavin. They all help us in every single way. I’ve spent a lot of time with Bavo [Dunbavin] who has helped me a lot and Taff [Edwards]. Mark has been a big help for me as well, giving me advice and being there.