There is something pure about watching youth football. Far away from the prima donnas of the Premier League, the FA Youth Cup offers not only a glimpse of the future but a world without celebrities, gossip and scandal. And even with the constant reorganisation of youth football in England – one that has not always served the country well – the competition still retains its attraction.
Indeed, even as Manchester United youth lost 3-2 to Chelsea’s age group team at Stamford Bridge today, around 1,000 Reds made the trip south. Noisy Reds too, in a crowd a touch over 5,000 in West London. There might well be more than 30,000 at Old Trafford for the return in just under a fortnight.
Much as age group games are entertainment in their own right – and Sunday’s match at the Bridge was certainly that – the essential purpose is of course to bring players through to the first team. In that regard United’s success over the past decade is muted. Arguably only Jonny Evans, Darron Gibson and Darren Fletcher have graduated through the academy and become first team regulars in the past 10 years. Before them Wes Brown and John O’Shea each made their United débuts in the late 1990s.It is far from the “Class of ’92.”
In recent years United’s focus has moved away producing ‘home grown’ players – those from the British Isles – to a strategy that now includes obtaining the most promising players from other clubs academies. Giuseppe Rossi and Gerard Pique may have been forerunners for the policy but in recent years United has increased an overseas scouting network that now includes a Brazilian training centre.
It is also a policy that has engendered controversy, with more than one club complaining loudly in the press, although not actually to FIFA, about United’s predatory tactics.
Few of the new breed has made it at United to date though, although both Rossi and Pique were sold at considerable profit before achieving much on continental Europe. In fact United has made a healthy profit on selling former academy players over the past decade. Of course, Rafael da Silva is now a regular and his brother Fabio is on the cusp of regular action. Each cost the club a fraction of the fee that might be commanded on the open market today, pointing the way to the primary reason behind United’s shift in youth policy in recent years.
There is much promise in United’s current 18-year-old age group though. Sunday’s team included three players recruited from abroad: brilliant Frenchman Paul Pogba, Italian defender Michele Fornasier and flying Dutch winger Gyliano van Velzen. Another supremely talented youth, Mats Møller Dæhli, made a late substitute appearance.
Pogba’s class is self-evident – the rangy midfielder almost kept United in Sunday’s game on his own such is his influence at youth level. It is likely to be the last season 18-year-old Pogba spends with the youth team, before graduating fully to United’s reserves and possibly the first team squad next season.
Fornasier’s composure in a variety of defensive positions bode well for the future, while van Velzen comes with the pedigree of a former Ajax trainee.
There is local talent too, including the athletic Ryan Tunnicliffe who recently made Sir Alex Ferguson’s first team squad. But absent today was the star of United’s youth side – Ravel Morrison – with the 18-year-old is serving out a suspension for a recent red card. The teenager’s well documented problems may, or may not, inhibit his progress but his talent is certainly recognised within the club. After all, first team manager Ferguson drafted in the gifted player into the first team for United’s match against Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this season.
Such are the vagaries of youth development that none of today’s youth cup semi-final team is guaranteed to progress into Ferguson’s first team. It would be a real disappointment.
Morrison could have made a difference today against a tough and talented Chelsea outfit, which included the much-lauded Josh McEcharan. While the 17-year-old offered a muted display his team-mates passed the ball better than United for the most part and took full advantage of a suspect visiting line-up that included more than one player out of position.
Yet, from 2-0 down at half-time United produced a stirring second-half performance, led by Pogba’s drive, to ensure that the young Reds remain in with a shout on 22 April at Old Trafford.
Thousands will be there, in part for entertainment but also to witness the birth of new talents.
FA Youth Cup semi-final, first leg
Chelsea youth 3 – 2 Manchester United youth
Chalobah (30,42), Devyne (72) – Lingard (56), Pogba (77)
United: Johnstone; M.Keane, Thorpe (c), Fornasier, McGinty; Tunnicliffe, Pogba, Cole, Lingard (Lawrence 84), van Velzen; W.Keane (Daehli 89). Subs not used: Ekangamene, Coll, Rudge.
RE local talent – 7 of the 11 starting today are from Manchester or the local areas (1 from Preston, 1 from Warrington) – three foreign lads plus McGinty who’s Irish (well therefore foreign too although we signed him from Charlton)
I’d talk about them with caution – very very talented U18 group
I wasn’t intending to actually promote something I wrote but seeing as you mentioned local lads I wrote about how it’s nice to see so many in the current group about 2 months ago – http://www.stretford-end.com/blog/2011/02/united-should-be-proud-of-local-lads-and-we-should-support-them/
PS presume you were there today Ed? Didn’t see you 🙁
Hi Doron – yes did look out for you. Went with the missus so had to keep her entertained too. There’s certainly plenty of local talent, although I couldn’t guarantee any of today’s side will make it.
Tough one to call. Arguably most talented U18 squad we’ve had in a long time. Not sure I’d be placing any money on any of them yet, next season could be a big one for a few of them – kind of wrong to be judging them so critically anyway now I guess, they’re still pretty young and have a lot of development to come
Hello.
Totally agree with the Paul Pogba line, I thought he was exceptional second half yesterday, combining strength/competitiveness with vision/grace/skill. His quick feet and improvisation are a joy to watch, whilst his ability to thread through balls is something that United will welcome with Scholes entering the latter stages in the twilight of his career.
I would welcome a push to the first team squad next season, even for Carling Cup games.
none of these guys will make it
a sad fact of life at OT in recent years
united have let youth talent slip through for 1 reason or another
Don’t stop there! Please enlighten us…who exactly have we let slip through the ranks in the recent years who have made it?
Morrison and Pogba will definitely see 1st team action in the next few years. I think those two could definitely be at least 1st team squad players of the future.
Tunnicliffe and John Cofie (current injured) are two others who will play in the 1st team, but time will tell how many times.
Like who?
I went to the game. Chelsea probably deserved the win but 3-3 would not have been unjust. United tried to walk the ball into the net or shoot from long range and the Chelsea keeper looked a good shotstopper, but maybe not hot on crosses.
Hard to say how many would make it, but certainly none is ready for the PL squad yet, not even Pogba who also made a couple of suicidal passes across the back four. I could just imagine Jimmy Murphy going mad at the sight of that. Johnson looked good apart from the fumble for their first goal, midfield was impressive with some strong runs from tunnicliffe, Cole on right reminded me of Shaun Wright-Phillips, sadly he was on the post for the corner from which Chelsea got the 2nd goal. A taller player there would have stopped that goal. Had expected more from Will Keane but maybe he is not match fit. The kid from Ajax looked gangly and not particularly impressive. Morrison may well have made a big difference.
shawcross is one.
rossi, pique…..ok, im digressing a little