It was a tough campaign for Owen Beck on loans at Famalicao and Bolton, but the left-back will “take the positives” as he eyes a big pre-season.
When Beck made the switch to Famalicao in the Portuguese top flight in July, there were hopes that the young Welshman could make a big step forward.
It came on the back of a standout campaign with Liverpool under-21s, as well as two first-team appearances, but his time in Portugal was cut short.
After just seven weeks, he switched to Bolton on a deal until the end of the season – but that was terminated in January after only nine appearances.
Beck only started four times in those nine games, clocking 363 minutes on the pitch, but in an interview with LiverpoolFC.com he insisted it was not time wasted.
“I obviously thought that I was going to get more game time than I did,” he admitted.
“But it was just one of those things that I just had to take as much as I could from it and learn as much as I could.
“I feel like I’ve come back a lot more experienced and I see them as both good experiences; Portugal and Bolton.
“There’s no point dwelling on it if it doesn’t go the way you want it to go and thinking negatively about it.
“I feel you need to just think positive and learn as much as you can from it, which I feel I did, and take the positives from it.”
Having already been registered to three different clubs – Liverpool, Famalicao and Bolton – Beck was unable to agree a third loan deal in the winter.
Instead, he remained with the U21s at Kirkby, playing 11 times and assisting three goals, as well as training with the first team when required.
It remains to be seen whether he will stay on Merseyside for next season, but the 20-year-old has outlined his hopes for pre-season as he declared: “I want to play for this football club.”
“I know how hard that is, but I want to give it everything that I have got to try to make that dream a reality,” Beck said.
“I’ve just got to keep working as hard as I can and if the opportunity comes during pre-season then I’ve got to take that.”
Beck is likely to be involved in the senior squad for pre-season on July 8 unless another temporary move presents itself, however a switch in system may benefit fellow left-sided defender Luke Chambers more.
With Jurgen Klopp‘s new 3-4-3 requiring the left-back to also drop in as a third centre-back, Chambers’ experience in the role – including at Kilmarnock this season – could give him an advantage.
Still, the quality and potential of Beck cannot be overlooked, as he says, simply because his stints at Famalicao and Bolton fizzled out.
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