Reserve Team Manager: Ole Watch

Chep

Hey Caftards,

I thought it would be nice to run a season long thread on OGS maiden career as a reserve manager.
Every one is free to join and I hope the moderators will keep this thread on the fore pages and help us maintain it too. Thanks.

Sam#1

What's with the ?

Mr. MUJAC

Or even Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.........!

golden_blunder

I wondered that myself

oh..now i see..where did they come from? must be the forum upgrade

ninja_alan

Or even Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

Mr. MUJAC

Bloody English keyboards!

Decotron

Could be a good year for them, last year wasnt great at all but with Welbeck, macheda, Rodrigo, Brazilian twins we could see some sexy Ole styled football.

Ivor Ballokov

It was hard work watching the reserves at some points last year. Towards the end of the season though Macheda, Welbeck and Rodrigo made it somewhat more interesting.

Don't get to see much of the Academy so who will Ole have coming up from there this season? I imagine Brady will get some more games.

Virtuoso

Agreed, add to that list Davide Petrucci who will probably be promoted into the Reserves sometime during the season (if he doesn't bypass the Academy side from the start).

Looking forward to the season ahead

PS18

Gotta get that name sorted out in the title if this is to take off

The great man's first game is charge will be July 12th, Burscough away. Then Altrincham away on the 19th and Oxford away on the 26th before the first 'competitive' game, the LSC Final (from last season) against Liverpool on the 30th.

BahamaRed

How's he doing then?

Chris H

He's accomplished fuck all so far. Terrible signing.

Fecking Glazers. Too cheap to hire an experienced manager, had to bring in this mercenary instead. Disgraceful.

Mr. MUJAC

With Campbell, Brandy, Welbeck, Macheda all in the Reserves now, plus Eagles of course, it would take a lot of these going back out on loan before I could see Petrucci taking a regular spot in the reserves.

He is only 16 and never played English football before so I would guess he will certainly start in the U-18's for the first half of the season and then depending on his progress, others going on loan and the shape of Ole's team he might get a few cameos towards the end of the term.

Also, apart from Joshua King, if Macheda is playing in the reserves, then we are light on forwards in the 18's.....

I think to regard him as a Reserve Team player would be very premature at this stage.

Virtuoso

Granted, but when you think that Roma were going to consider him for first team chances and play him in the same vein that they have done with Riccardo Brosco then I imagine he will make it into the Reserves by the end of the season at least. I do think one or two of those that you mentioned won't be with the Reserves during the season. Also, Petrucci is not an out and out striker as most of those player are. He plays the trequartista role in the playmaker (Baggio-esque) position and has been known to play as an attacking midfielder as well as on the wings.

We'll have to see what indeed happens because as you say, we are a little spoilt for choice but if Petrucci is in fact as good as his billing then I can't see him being left in the Academy for too long.

Name Changed

Petrucci turns 17 in October. If he is as good as reported, then he should definately be good enough for the reserves and even further.

Virtuoso

SOLSKJAER: UNITED CAN PRODUCE TALENT

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists Manchester United are still capable of rearing their own top-class talent.

Since the famed 'class of 92' there has been a shortage of home-grown produce on the Old Trafford conveyor belt, even though Sir Alex Ferguson has maintained a commitment to giving youth a chance.

As coach to Manchester United's reserve team, it is now Solskjaer's responsibility to hone the talent United have at their disposal.

And the Norwegian denies it is now too hard for Manchester-born youngsters to make it through the ranks.

"It is hard and maybe over the years not too many have made it through," he observed.

"But Wes Brown, John O'Shea and Darren Fletcher came through the system, while Gerard Pique and Giuseppe Rossi also played for the first team before leaving for big clubs abroad, so it proves there is still a chance.

"If they are good enough, they will get an opportunity here. If they are not but learn the right habits, they will still have a good career somewhere else."

Lessons provided by Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville are drilled into the United youngsters every day of their lives, not just in ability and dedication but smaller stuff such as punctuality.

News that three United youngsters are jetting out to South Africa in order to join the first-team squad on their pre-season tour provides another timely reminder of the benefits a career at Old Trafford can offer.

However, Solskjaer is aware progression needs to be monitored closely so stagnation does not set in.

On Tuesday night Sir Alex Ferguson spoke of the need for Lee Martin and Chris Eagles to play regular first-team football, which surely must come away from the Red Devils.

"I have had a couple of chats with the manager about who is going to go out on loan because you don't want people in theserve team year after year," said Solskjaer.

"Maybe after one year they are ready to go somewhere else.

"You don't want to stay in the reserves for ever because the boat is starting to sink."

It provides reasons for optimism at Hull, where Frazier Campbell was so successful last term, and maybe Sunderland, who would definitely be interested if Jonny Evans came on the market.

Danny Simpson and Darron Gibson are others who may move on too, although for the moment, Solskjaer is happy with the under-19s that will form the bulk of his squad for Saturday's trip to Oxford.

After that the 1999 European Cup hero can concentrate on a 20-minute cameo in his testimonial against Espanyol at Old Trafford on August 2.

In an era where honouring highly-paid football stars seems pointless, Solskjaer is the exception.

Typically, he gave a group of children an afternoon to remember this week, providing coaching sessions for young relatives of cancer victims through United's link with Christie's Hospital.

"We all know how horrible cancer is and how it has touched so many lives," he said.

"Around the time I had my knee injuries, a very close friend was diagnosed with it and it just put my situation into perspective. My career meant nothing alongside someone's life.

"With the right treatment and a positive attitude, anything can be achieved. That is why I try to do what I can."

http://www.sportinglife.com/football...HD=premiership

Let's hope that Ole can help reinvigorate the youth system a bit, there is the talent there for certain.

PS18

Would be interested to see who that trio are (haven't been able to unearth anything yet). You'd imagine one would be a defender to replace Wes, hopefully Rodrigo's one of the others.

Elliott

If Welbeck is fit again he'll surely be part of that trio.

PS18

It's Rodrigo, Cathcart and Cleverley.

Decotron

Anyone know when the next match is? Is it on MUTV?