Yoko
08-01-2008, 01:38 PM
Paul Anderson is keen to show Liverpool supporters just what he can do after his loan club Swansea City were handed the possibility of a dream trip to Anfield in round four of the FA Cup.
The Swans must see off non-league side Havant and Waterlooville in a third round replay while Liverpool must defeat cash-strapped Luton, if he is to realise his ambition of taking on Rafael Benitez's side.
But should it materialise, it will represent a mouthwatering prospect for the 19-year-old who admits excitement got the better of him when he found out that his hopes could become a reality.
"Liverpool was the only team I wanted to play against," he said. "I was just jumping up and down in my room.
"As the draw was happening I was talking to my mate on the Internet and I said 'keep an eye out for 10 versus 19 because that's the dream draw.'
"Then it happened and I couldn't believe it. I was so happy. For it to come out of the hat like that was brilliant. I got straight on the phone to my dad and told him the good news."
The former Hull City winger was a key member of Liverpool's Youth Cup success of 2006 but moved to Swansea at the start of the season on loan, after failing to break into Rafael Benitez's first-team.
He has enjoyed an impressive spell at the Liberty Stadium, netting eight goals in all competitions so far, and is desperate for Swansea and Liverpool to come through their respective replays so he can realise his ambition of running out in front of a packed Anfield crowd - if the two clubs agree he can play.
"I'm desperate to play at Anfield," he said. "I just hope there isn't anything standing in the way of me playing.
"I've never played for the first team there, only in youth cup games. So I've played in front of the Kop before, but never in front of so many fans.
"It will be really nice if I can go out and show both the Liverpool and Swansea fans what I can do."
The youngster acknowledges that Swansea must overcome Havant and Waterlooville first, but if he does get the opportunity to face the Reds, he hopes his teammates can rise to the occasion and show Liverpool and the rest of the country, just what they can do.
"When you are a young lad at a club like Liverpool, it's easy for people to know nothing about you," he said.
"But, if I can show the fans that I'm half decent, then perhaps they will start to wonder why I'm not there.
"It might give them a different opinion of me if they can see that I'm a good player.
"We want to show people in England what we can do. We know we are a good footballing team, we just want other people to see it."
If Anderson does get the tie he craves, he believes the Swans could learn from Luton's example and prove that although they are League One players, they can still compete with the stars of the Premier League in a one-off clash.
"We aren't Premiership quality players, otherwise we would be there," he admitted. "But we think we are close to that level and we want to show we can compete."
"I think you always hope for the big teams in the FA Cup. You look for Premiership teams and obviously one of the big four is a bonus.
"It's a great draw for both myself and the club. But obviously we have to get past Havant and Waterlooville first."
Didn't think you could play against your parent club
The Swans must see off non-league side Havant and Waterlooville in a third round replay while Liverpool must defeat cash-strapped Luton, if he is to realise his ambition of taking on Rafael Benitez's side.
But should it materialise, it will represent a mouthwatering prospect for the 19-year-old who admits excitement got the better of him when he found out that his hopes could become a reality.
"Liverpool was the only team I wanted to play against," he said. "I was just jumping up and down in my room.
"As the draw was happening I was talking to my mate on the Internet and I said 'keep an eye out for 10 versus 19 because that's the dream draw.'
"Then it happened and I couldn't believe it. I was so happy. For it to come out of the hat like that was brilliant. I got straight on the phone to my dad and told him the good news."
The former Hull City winger was a key member of Liverpool's Youth Cup success of 2006 but moved to Swansea at the start of the season on loan, after failing to break into Rafael Benitez's first-team.
He has enjoyed an impressive spell at the Liberty Stadium, netting eight goals in all competitions so far, and is desperate for Swansea and Liverpool to come through their respective replays so he can realise his ambition of running out in front of a packed Anfield crowd - if the two clubs agree he can play.
"I'm desperate to play at Anfield," he said. "I just hope there isn't anything standing in the way of me playing.
"I've never played for the first team there, only in youth cup games. So I've played in front of the Kop before, but never in front of so many fans.
"It will be really nice if I can go out and show both the Liverpool and Swansea fans what I can do."
The youngster acknowledges that Swansea must overcome Havant and Waterlooville first, but if he does get the opportunity to face the Reds, he hopes his teammates can rise to the occasion and show Liverpool and the rest of the country, just what they can do.
"When you are a young lad at a club like Liverpool, it's easy for people to know nothing about you," he said.
"But, if I can show the fans that I'm half decent, then perhaps they will start to wonder why I'm not there.
"It might give them a different opinion of me if they can see that I'm a good player.
"We want to show people in England what we can do. We know we are a good footballing team, we just want other people to see it."
If Anderson does get the tie he craves, he believes the Swans could learn from Luton's example and prove that although they are League One players, they can still compete with the stars of the Premier League in a one-off clash.
"We aren't Premiership quality players, otherwise we would be there," he admitted. "But we think we are close to that level and we want to show we can compete."
"I think you always hope for the big teams in the FA Cup. You look for Premiership teams and obviously one of the big four is a bonus.
"It's a great draw for both myself and the club. But obviously we have to get past Havant and Waterlooville first."
Didn't think you could play against your parent club