Having older technical players also give the younger players an example to follow and a standard to aspire to.
We will always need experienced 'heads' and whilst judging or assembling your team by age only is daft, we need to make sure that we don't simply get rid of a player 'due to his age', likewise we don't not give a player an opportunity because he's 'too young'.
There shouldn't be a 'too young' or 'too old'. It should be about what the player gives to the team and squad, and there are many ways that that should be measured and evaluated.
Here's someone who should have never been allowed to leave, irrespective of age.
http://www.clickliverpool.com/sport/liverpool-fc/1216948-bayer-leverkusen-manager-sami-hyypia-wants-liverpool-fc-return.htmlHe would have offered so much to us and not just by the tackles he won or the clearances he got his head on the end of. We've let too many of this type go recently, Dirk being another. We have to realise what they offer and treasure them, and not just because they were born in the city.
Maybe the crowd will see a local differently, and to a degree, so they should, but a manager and the club administration should put aside the emotional aspect (and there's nothing wrong because that's what we all live by as fans) and see a bigger picture. Value can be measured in more than just a salary number or even goals scored or tackles won.
The club used to do this, otherwise the likes of Paisley, Moran and Evans wouldn't have remained at the club. Yes, we missed one in Matt Busby, but you can't win them all, you just have to make sure you win more of them than your rivals.
It will be interesting to see how Wenger goes on without Pat Rice, but if possible, it would be great for us to have our own Pat Rice in thirty years time. Maybe Mike Marsh, who has just been promoted from youth to be a first team coach could be one. It would be nice to see it happen.