Liverpool's Origi urged to consider what could have been after Anfield stagnation

Origi; the ‘class act’ that has fallen away

The career of Divock Origi is certainly a cautionary tale about how important it is for a footballer to land themselves in the best place possible to progress their career, but the former Belgian youth stand out has entirely failed to make his time with English giants Liverpool count and has now come under criticism from former Belgian U19 national team manager Gert Verheyen.

🚨 NEW: Former Belgium coach Gert Verheyen believes staying at Liverpool would ‘be a shame’ for Divock Origi’s talent due to a lack of playing time.

“By staying with Liverpool and playing little, he hasn’t developed further.” #awlive [mirror] pic.twitter.com/L2hCOcCLIX

— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) November 16, 2021

Verheyen coached Origi through many of his 19-caps for the Belgian U19 side when he was coming through the club ranks with LOSC Lille, and has spoken out in national outlet Het Nieuwsblad regarding his stagnation at Liverpool;

“We just don’t know how good he is today. In his youth, Divock was a class act. But by staying with Liverpool and playing little, he hasn’t developed further.

Can you blame him [for staying at Anfield]? That’s his choice. Liverpool must be a fantastic club to play for. But at some point you want to play, don’t you?

I think it would be a shame for Origi’s talent. The only thing I never felt about Divock was the urge – the urge to score, a striker who says ‘I scored two, now I want three.

Not that he didn’t do his best. We played with the U19s in a dilapidated stadium in Serbia where you had to wash yourself in a tub of water, so to speak. Divock tried his best. But scoring more, wanting more? That he didn’t

Can he extend that to his career choices?”

Note: quotes via the Liverpool Echo.

Liverpool achieved European glory with help from the Belgian

There is no question that Divock Origi has hardly had the career that many in and out of Belgium thought him capable, but the Oostende-born forward still played a crucial role for Liverpool on one of the club’s most famous runs in Europe.

The Belgian international was vital for the club in their eventual Champions League win back in the 2018-19 season.

Origi bagged a brace against Spanish giants Barcelona in their 4-0 semi-final second leg win at Anfield, completing an unexpected reversal after the Reds crashed to a 3-0 defeat in the first leg.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – MAY 07: Divock Origi of FC Liverpool celebrates after scoring his team’s fourth goal during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final second leg match between Liverpool and Barcelona at Anfield on May 7, 2019 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)

He then went on to score in the final against fellow Premier League side Tottenham in a very effective appearance off the bench for Jürgen Klopp.

Though he has not amounted to what many would have hoped, Divock Origi can still hold his head high when it comes to achieving something that most footballers could only ever dream about.