Harvey Elliott says that the Liverpool coaching staff have coined the nickname ‘the little diamond’ for him.
Speaking on UMM YouTube channel (5mins 50 secs), Elliott says that it was Jurgen Klopp’s assistant, Pep Lijnders, who first came up with the moniker.
“It was Pep Lijnders, assistant coach, he brought it up in an interview when I was 16 or 17,” said Elliott.
“Now it’s just stuck with me. Everyone either calls me it or comments it on pictures and stuff.”
It’s a fitting nickname. Standing at just 5ft 7in, Elliott is a diminutive figure. But he plays with an assurance and quality that sparkles at times.
Finding his feet again
Elliott’s comments go to show the stature in which he is held by Liverpool’s coaching team, as well as his Liverpool teammates.
It’s easy to forget that Liverpool’s number 67 is still only 18-years-old. It feels like he has been around the first-team setup forever.
However, his display’s since returning from injury in January show that Liverpool will have to exercise patience with Elliott.
Klopp hasn’t been afraid to throw him in at the deep-end. The manager raised a few eyebrows when he selected the teenager for Liverpool’s trip to San Siro to play Inter Milan in February.
It was a bold move from Klopp, but Elliott struggled to get into the game and was subbed off with Liverpool second best.
Since then, the youngster has only started once for The Reds – Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final win over Nottingham Forest.
Although there is much to look forward to from ‘the little diamond’ in a Liverpool shirt, there is no need to rush him into action too much this season.
Hopefully with a full pre-season under his belt, Elliott can start to live up to his nickname once again next season.
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