Worrying signs at old trafford
Ravel Morrison
What do Paul Pogba, Ravel Morrison, and (possibly ) Ezekiel Fryers have in common? They have all graduated from the famous Manchester United Youth Academy and left for ‘greener pastures’. For a team that has boasted of that famous Class of ’92 — two of which are still going strong at Old Trafford— these departures have not only been embarrassing but given United’s financial troubles, they have also been down right crippling.
In Pogba and Morrison, Sir Alex Ferguson has been robed off two potential superstars of the world of football. And given all that has been missing in United’s midfield department since the combined departure of Ronaldo to Real Madrid and Owen Hargreaves to the hospital back in 2009, Fergie could iIll afford to lose academy products with such potential.
Why have United been losing out on their most talented youngsters to other teams? Well, karma could be playing a role. Pogba showed little respect to French club Le Havre after his much publicised poaching/transfer to Manchester United. Surprise, surprise, he did it again.
Morrison and Zeki Fryers on the other hand are Manchester thoroughbreds and losing players like them is something clubs like United, Barcelona and Madrid rarely do, so why did they leave?
The promise of regular football and being touted as being among footballing elite as a teenager would get to anyone’s head. And then of course there is the sweet nothings whispered into the ears of these starlets by other clubs.
There is an argument that United barely produces youth footballers in large numbers. Since the turn of the century, United have produced Darren Fletcher, Jonny Evans, Danny Welbeck, Tom Cleverley and the Da Silva twins (who came at 16 years of age from Fluminese).
Losing Academy players was fine when United could buy anyone they felt like. Over the last three years, United have been outbid for Karim Benzema, Samir Nasri and Eden Hazard to name a few and couldn’t afford Wesley Sneijder’s wage demands.
Also, United’s proposed stock floatation at the NYSE has revealed that the club have cash reserves of only £25.6 million left.
So, will the trend stop with Fryers? Or are United’s academy products just overrated because they are connected with Manchester United and it doesn’t really matter?
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