Liverpool academy coach Dave Shannon says Steven Gerrard is a great example of what the club can produce.

It has been a decade blessed with a sizzling compilation of great Gerrard moments and Shannon admits he is proud to see one of the Academy's graduates at the pinnacle of his profession.

"I think it's an impressive landmark," he told liverpoolfc.tv.

"To be at one club and to play the amount of games he has played is a fantastic achievement. I'm sure when he looks back at the years between 14 and 16, when he only played about 30 games, that for him to have played 400 plus matches for the first-team is fantastic.

"I still get a buzz seeing him run out at Anfield on a match day.

"When he first broke into the team everyone thought that it was good to see and the crowd all hoped he would go on to be a decent player.

"We've watched him develop from a young, likable 'scally' in many ways, to the young man he is now and a fantastic ambassador for club and country.

"He's gone on to become a world class player and he's handled it all brilliantly. He's been very humble and shown a lot of class.

"He interviews very well and I think that's a credit to the likes of Tim Devine here at the Academy and all the coaches who worked with him.

"They haven't just been concerned with what he has done on the pitch but how he portrays off the pitch."

For many he is undoubtedly the finest home-grown talent the club has nurtured and Shannon is fully supportive of that belief.

"I've been here 20 years now and he's definitely the best player to come through," he said. "That's some accolade too because we've had the likes of Robbie Fowler, Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen come through.

"He's different class."