Unless you are a complete football nut, you will not know the name of Oakley Cannonier. The 19-year-old striker is highly-rated in the Liverpool academy and tipped for a big future - but he is yet to make his mark on the first team.
But he is the kid credited alongside the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Jurgen Klopp for helping Liverpool to their sixth European Cup crown in 2019. Why? He was the jolly-on-the-spot ball boy who helped the Reds overturn a 3-0 deficit to beat Barcelona 4-3.
Within less than a second of Liverpool winning a corner at 3-3 on aggregate, Cannonier smoothly pinged the ball to Alexander-Arnold. The rest, as they say, is history. The Liverpool full back quickly fired in a corner to Divock Origi to score when Barcelona backs were turned.
‘Alexander-Arnold goes to walk away and he realises there are a few dopes gone to sleep,’ said Graeme Souness on television about the Barcelona players. ‘They have all turned their back on it. That is criminal… criminal for a professional footballer.’
Criminal for the Catalans, yes. But this was not just Liverpool capitalising on a lapse in concentration. Elite football is in its small margins era and this savvy corner routine, which sent Liverpool to the Champions League final, was by design.
Anfield analysts spotted Barcelona’s players often switched off momentarily when play was halted, often complaining at refereeing decisions, and noted that Liverpool were taking too long to capitalise on this and should up the tempo at dead-ball situations or throw-ins.
So Liverpool staffers, under direction, lectured the ball boys before that memorable night to be quicker and more direct in aiding the players. Carl Lancaster, who has worked as an academy coach
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