Former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has labelled three ex-Reds as the best youngsters he's ever managed.
Rodgers has returned to management after taking over Celtic for the second time. It's his first role since he was sacked by Leicester City earlier this year.
The Northern Irishman spent three years in the Anfield dugout and he won the LMA Manager of the Year in 2014 - becoming the first Liverpool manager to do so - as his side finished runners-up in the Premier League to Manchester City.
But he was relieved of his duties in October 2015 after a 1-1 Merseyside derby draw at Everton left the Reds in mid-table and with just one win in nine matches. He was subsequently replaced by Jurgen Klopp.
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And in a recent interview with Peter Dale, better known as Tubes, formerly of Soccer AM, for his YouTube channel Tubes and Ange Golf Life, Rodgers detailed some of the best youngsters he has worked with.
During his time on Merseyside, he oversaw the development of Raheem Sterling and welcomed the likes of Joe Allen and Philippe Coutinho to the club, naming the trio as the best prospects he managed.
"The standouts are the likes of Raheem (Sterling) at 17, (I) put him in the team at Liverpool (and) he was an exceptional player," the new Celtic boss said. "You could see his physicality, he was fast, dynamic, strong and he had a hunger and desire to be a player. As soon as I put him in the team, he was never out of the team, he played in multiple positions for me. A great young guy who was hungry and genuinely wanted to be world class. He was fantastic.
"Joe Allen at Swansea was excellent, he was very, very good and Philippe Coutinho was a standout at 19. A small-ish, young player in stature but massive on the pitch with his quality."
Rodgers brought Allen with him from Swansea City and oversaw Sterling's development into a regular first-team player and a key member of the Liverpool front three that also included Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge. Coutinho arrived at Anfield alongside Sturridge in 2013 January transfer window.
