The joy of being at the Academy on a day to day basis is built around the fact that it is an absolute pleasure to work here.

This is not to say that it isn't hard work or that it is straightfoward because neither of these is the case. But when your job is to oversee the development of young footballers who we hope will turn out to be Liverpool players in the years to come then I don't know how else I could describe it other than as a pleasure and a privilege.

The one quality which I have tried to instil more than any other since I took up the post of Academy director is enthusiasm. If the young players are determined to do everything they can to make the most of their talent - and the staff here will stop at nothing to make the absolute most of the potential they are working with - then it can only be good news for everyone at the Academy and the club as a whole.

Fortunately, such is the professionalism of the staff here and the desire of the players it hasn't been hard to see such a vital quality come to the fore, even in what has been a short space of time, and for this reason I look forward to driving through the Academy gates every morning in the knowledge that I am working for what I believe to be the world's greatest football club and with people who share my vision of what it will take to be a success, both individually and collectively.

I arrive at 8.30am on most mornings, having already had a number of phone conversations with my colleagues on the journey in. It's really important to do this because football is such a fast moving business and communicating regularly and effectively with people within the game, both at Liverpool and beyond, is one way of ensuring that you are up to speed with what's going on and in that way you are less likely to be caught cold by any significant developments which might have an impact on the work we do and on what we are endeavouring to achieve at the Academy.

My first meetings of the day tend to be with the technical staff whose input is absolutely vital because they are able to provide an overview of how the players have been performing in training and propose ideas of things we could do to make improvements.

I grew up as a Liverpool fan in the days when the boot room was such a crucial part of the philosophy at Anfield and the lessons of that time are just as relevant today as  they were in the 1960s and 70s, and holding regular discussions with the staff here is one way of keeping that spirit alive.

The fact that we now have Kenny Dalglish working with us means that this link with the club's past is even stronger as his input to such discussions is so valuable to everyone here given his knowledge and experience, not to mention his standing in the game.

It is often said that it is good to talk and this is certainly the case in my job. Be it daily conversations with the club's scouts about players who could potentially be of interest to us or more relaxed chats with the parents of boys who are already with us, good communication is of paramount importance because it can solve problems before they even begin and ensures that the contribution of absolutely everyone here is as valued as much as it should be. 

It's not all about football, though. My role also involves looking after the kind of things which help the Academy to function as well as it possibly can. Sometimes, this can involve meetings with the club accountants to discuss ideas we have for our future development, such as the possibility of building a stand here. Again, these meetings are vital because they allow us to form a picture of what is possible.

I try to watch every training session but I am not responsible for them. This is the area where Pep Segura and Rodolfo Borrell really come into their own and because they are such experts in their coaching field and because they have made such a positive impact on everyone at the Academy since they arrived here in the summer, the best thing to do is to allow them to get on with doing what they do best without too much interference from me or anyone else. The good thing is, though, that Pep and Rodolfo are always willing to listen to ideas and on the rare occasions when they need advice they know that there are plenty of people they can seek it from here.

The other thing I like to do if at all possible is to regularly attend reserve team games, particularly if any of the players from the Academy are involved. It's important that we do this because not only does it show our support for the reserve team, it also allows us to discuss the performances of the players we are watching and the progress they are making. This is another example of the ways in which we try to keep the channels of communication open between all levels of the club, from the Academy right through to the first team.

Usually, I finish work at around 8.30pm, unless I am at a game, and I head home, making another round of phone calls en route.

As I said at the outset, it is an absolute privilege to work at the Academy and it is my firm belief that the hard work that we all put in there on a daily basis will pay off in the future. 

Frank McParland, Academy Director.