Walsall glad to cash in on ace Brando
Nov 5 2006
By Lee Mclaughlan
WALSALL have admitted they risked losing promising teenage forward Evandro Brandao for nothing if they had not sold him to Manchester United.
The promising 15-year-old youth-team striker, who is also a Portuguese Under-17 international, has joined the Old Trafford club after impressing their scouts - including Sir Alex Ferguson's No.2, Carlos Queiroz.
It is a dream come true for the Angolan-born forward, who has earned Walsall an undisclosed but princely sum from the former Premiership champions.
The club's recruitment officer, Bill Jones, admitted they could have kept Brandao, a United fan, but were aware he would go for nothing at the end of the season.
"If we had stopped him going, which we could have done, he would probably have gone at the end of the year," said Jones.
Story continues
ADVERTISEMENT
"It's the same as the professionals. "But in all academies there are proper procedures for boys transferring from one club to another and we just followed that route.
"We will get compensation. It's not unusual in youth football.
"It is unusual in that it's Manchester United interested and not one of the smaller clubs."
Walsall have had the youngster in their centre of excellence for the past two years - he moved to the club after living in London for six years with his father.
"While he was in London he was coached by his dad and uncle," Jones said.
"Then a friend of mine, who'd done some coaching for me a few years back, recommended him to Mick Halsall and me.
"We invited him up to have a look at him and I think the boy was keen to leave London.
"He had a family friend who lived in Walsall so we brought him here for a fortnight and had a good look at him.
"We liked what we saw and put him in lodgings with his uncle in Walsall."
Walsall have spent the past two seasons developing Brandao but, once United spotted him, they actively pursued the Saddlers to bring him to the club.
United hooked up with the Bescot club at youth level a number of years ago but the project never got off the ground after being thrown out by the Football Association.
However, the clubs have remained on good terms and that played a significant part in the switch.
"He was spotted by Man United and they wrote and asked if they could have a look at him in the school holidays. We said 'no problem'," said Jones.
"He is a Man United nut - he lives and breathes them. He loved his time with them and they liked him.
"They then had a tournament not long back - the Nike Tournament in Manchester - and they asked if they could have permission to play him in that.
"We gave it and I went along and watched. To be fair, he was among the top two or three players there."
Walsall have lost a player with considerable potential but Jones admits that the income they will get from United will allow them to unearth more nuggets.
"We're losing a very good player," he said. "But, that said, the finance that we'll gain helps towards the running of the centre of excellence which takes an enormous amount of money."
http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/sundaymercury/sport/tm_headline=walsall-glad-to-cash-in-on-ace-brando%26method=full%26objectid=18051748%26siteid= 50002-name_page.html