When Trent and Liverpool are mentioned in the same sentence, it can only mean one thing: magic! But Trent Alexander-Arnold wasn’t the only one to stand out at the AXA Training Centre.
His namesake, 17-year-old Trent Cone-Doherty, also caught the eye. In July 2022, the unknown Irish youngster moved from Derry City to Liverpool for £175,000 excluding any add-ons.Cone-Doherty was known simply as the boy with the same name as a player on a certain team.
He signed his first professional contract with the Reds this week and has been hailed as a player to watch. This will come as no surprise to those in Irish football, where his talent has always been evident. Cone-Doherty began his youth career at Foyle Harps at the age of six before shining at Chantallow before moving to Irish side Derry City at the age of 13.
His game stepped up from there, eventually leading to a trial with Scottish giants Celtic in 2020. Derry City U19 manager Gerard Boyle has worked with Cone-Doherty at U17 level and can’t say enough about the winger. “He was very coachable,” Boyle said.“When he came to me at U17 level he was very technically capable and that was a credit to him and his former coaches at Foyle Harps and Derry. “He was very receptive to tactical information and would have been very helpful in providing tactical solutions to some of the scenarios we requested.
“These performances did not go unnoticed and he was called up to the Ireland minors for the first time in a double header against Malta in September 2021, scoring a stunning free-kick. That year he played for Ireland in the Victory Shield. Cone-Doherty has also scored for Liverpool’s U21s this season. But his biggest move so far has been to train with the first team ahead of the Merseyside derby.Boyle was unimpressed by Cone-Doherty’s quick adjustment to life on Merseyside.
“I always thought he had the X-factor to make an impact at any level,” he said. “That always served him well because he was always humble and hardworking. Then add in his outstanding athletic profile. “But training with the first team at the start of the second season ticks all the boxes.”Cone-Doherty will be smiling again this week as he hopes to emulate another trend in camp one day.
