Our Current Academy Graduates

[kidbob]

Are we currently in a somewhat golden era of graduates? Look I know the big thing about the class if 92 was that they went on to be either top class players or ones that were very good top team squad players and they all came at one time. A bit like the 'La Masia' legend brought on by Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets and Messi they created an aura around the academy and what success looks like from a youth viewpoint. So I want to look at significant players in the current game borne from our youth system and what I believe is their 'level' in the game.

Pogba- would play for most top teams
Rashford- would play for most top teams
Greenwood - a top talent at any club
Henderson - a top talent at any club
Lingard - a top half PL player
Tuanzebe - a top half PL player
McTominay - a top half PL player
Williams - a solid PL player

For me that is who we have that have 'proven' themselves so far. Now we also have Garner who is doing well in the Championship and Laird who, was considered the next most talented in the youth team with Greenwood, has had good performances for MK Dons. That's not to mention the younger guys (Mjebri being the obvious standout) who have a real chance to show their talent.

So the question is are we looking at one of the most consistent eras for our youth output?

 

[lysglimt]

In modern times there have 4 groups of players who stand out:

The latest with McTominay, Henderson, Tuanzebe and Rashford

The FA Youth Cup winners from 2011 with the Keanes, Lingard, Pogba and Johnstone

The Class of 92

And the FA Youth Cup losers from 1982 with Graeme Hogg, Billy Garton, Norman Whiteside, Mark Hughes and Clayton Blackmore (and Andy Hill who went on to play almost 100 times for City in the P.L in the early 90s)

The class of 92 will never be beaten - it can't happen for a number of reasons in addition to being madly talented. They appeared at the right time when there were positions available in the team (Hughes and McClair were in the early 30s, Kanchelskis had threatened his way to a transfer, and Ince had fallen out of favour with Ferguson) and also when the opponents were weakened so we could throw them into the team. This could never have worked today against City and Liverpool, the quality is too great.

But the current group could easily be the second best group of players in the last 40 years

 

[Rozay]

Are we currently in a somewhat golden era of graduates? Look I know the big thing about the class if 92 was that they went on to be either top class players or ones that were very good top team squad players and they all came at one time. A bit like the 'La Masia' legend brought on by Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets and Messi they created an aura around the academy and what success looks like from a youth viewpoint. So I want to look at significant players in the current game borne from our youth system and what I believe is their 'level' in the game.

Pogba- would play for most top teams
Rashford- would play for most top teams
Greenwood - a top talent at any club
Henderson - a top talent at any club
Lingard - a top half PL player
Tuanzebe - a top half PL player
McTominay - a top half PL player
Williams - a solid PL player

For me that is who we have that have 'proven' themselves so far. Now we also have Garner who is doing well in the Championship and Laird who, was considered the next most talented in the youth team with Greenwood, has had good performances for MK Dons. That's not to mention the younger guys (Mjebri being the obvious standout) who have a real chance to show their talent.

So the question is are we looking at one of the most consistent eras for our youth output?

The main difference with the Class of 92 is that this is no ‘class’. Nobody ever doubted the club would produce top players again after 92, but what was unlikely was them all coming through in one year. The players you mentioned have had their debuts spread over about 8 or 9 years!

Other than that I agree though. We do have a talented bunch.

 

[charlenefan]

The main difference with the Class of 92 is that this is no ‘class’. Nobody ever doubted the club would produce top players again after 92, but what was unlikely was them all coming through in one year. The players you mentioned have had their debuts spread over about 8 or 9 years!

Other than that I agree though. We do have a talented bunch.

Rashford, Tuanzebe, McTominay and Henderson all came from the same age group

 

[Dve]

Bare the defence, our graduates would form a decent team.


................ Henderson

Laird - Tuanzebe - Mengi - Williams

......... McTominay - Garner

.................. Pogba

Greenwood - Rashford - Lingard

 

[Avero]

Should Pogba and Mejbri be considered man utd academy products when we bought them at age 16 though? Where is the line? How about 17 year olds? 18?

Edit: especially Pogba, he developed at Juventus from age 19 to 23 and we paid 90 million for him

 

[Rozay]

Rashford, Tuanzebe, McTominay and Henderson all came from the same age group

They did, but the top 3 players from the list in the OP are Rashford, Pogba and Greenwood - and they all came through in different groups. Think it’s an important distinction. Rashford, Axel, Scott and Henderson is a decent group, don’t get me wrong - but it isn’t anything to even be mentioned near the 92 lot. Rashford, Pogba, Greenwood, Lingard combined - yes, but then you’d be taking over 9 years.

 

[AltiUn]

Should Pogba and Mejbri be considered man utd academy products when we bought them at age 16 though? Where is the line? How about 17 year olds? 18?

16 is the unspoken cut off, by that point they usually have around 2-4 years of academy football with the U18s and U23s. Pogba's spent most of his career here, he's definitely a United product.

 

[Dve]

Should Pogba and Mejbri be considered man utd academy products when we bought them at age 16 though? Where is the line? How about 17 year olds? 18?

The definition of a home grown player is a player that have spent at least 3 years at the club before he turns 21 (or 3 years until the end of the season in which he turns 21), so 18 then. So if Diallo stays long enough at the club, he would be considered a home grown player, while Pellesti won´t.

 

[AltiUn]

Like others have said, the Class of 92 will never be replicated but producing players of the standard of Pogba, Rashford and Greenwood in a relatively close time frame would be a good return for any club. That's 3 CL calibre talents whose market value likely exceed £70m each.

 

[utdalltheway]

Bare the defence, our graduates would form a decent team.


................ Henderson

Laird - Tuanzebe - Mengi - Williams

......... McTominay - Garner

.................. Pogba

Greenwood - Rashford - Lingard

We don’t need that. It’s bad enough with Lineker threatening to do his show in his underwear.

 

[thepolice123]

Pogba and Lingard actually belong to The Class of 2011 that had Micheal Keane and Ravel Morrison. Januzaj arrived I think a year or two later.

 

[elmo]

Like others have said, the Class of 92 will never be replicated but producing players of the standard of Pogba, Rashford and Greenwood in a relatively close time frame would be a good return for any club. That's 3 CL calibre talents whose market value likely exceed £70m each.

I mean Pogba costed us 90m alone

 

[Mr. MUJAC]

Should Pogba and Mejbri be considered man utd academy products when we bought them at age 16 though? Where is the line? How about 17 year olds? 18?

Edit: especially Pogba, he developed at Juventus from age 19 to 23 and we paid 90 million for him

The criteria is...

1. Joined the club at 17 or younger without signing professional forms elsewhere
2. Not played professional league football elsewhere
3. Actually played in our Academy system

Pogba and Mejbri meet all those three criteria.

Mark Hughes left us and joined Barcelona and Bayern Munich. We bought him back for a large fee. Mark Bosnich left us for Aston Villa and we bought him back for a large fee.

Both players came through our system...it's fairly straight-forward.

 

[Mr. MUJAC]

The definition of a home grown player is a player that have spent at least 3 years at the club before he turns 21 (or 3 years until the end of the season in which he turns 21), so 18 then. So if Diallo stays long enough at the club, he would be considered a home grown player, while Pellesti won´t.

Neither Diallo nor Pellestri have played in our Academy. So whilst under UEFA rules they may be regarded as 'homegrown' for quota reasons...they are not Academy players developed in our Academy.

 

[Dve]

Neither Diallo nor Pellestri have played in our Academy. So whilst under UEFA rules they may be regarded as 'homegrown' for quota reasons...they are not Academy players developed in our Academy.

They have played for the U-23, have they not?

 

[Mr. MUJAC]

They have played for the U-23, have they not?

Lots of players play for the U/23's...bought from other clubs.

That doesn't make them Academy players.

The U/23 league is just a rebranded Reserve league. Marcus Rojo, Luke Shaw, Chris Smalling, and others have all played in it.

 

[Lentwood]

Are we currently in a somewhat golden era of graduates? Look I know the big thing about the class if 92 was that they went on to be either top class players or ones that were very good top team squad players and they all came at one time. A bit like the 'La Masia' legend brought on by Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets and Messi they created an aura around the academy and what success looks like from a youth viewpoint. So I want to look at significant players in the current game borne from our youth system and what I believe is their 'level' in the game.

Pogba- would play for most top teams
Rashford- would play for most top teams
Greenwood - a top talent at any club
Henderson - a top talent at any club
Lingard - a top half PL player
Tuanzebe - a top half PL player
McTominay - a top half PL player
Williams - a solid PL player

For me that is who we have that have 'proven' themselves so far. Now we also have Garner who is doing well in the Championship and Laird who, was considered the next most talented in the youth team with Greenwood, has had good performances for MK Dons. That's not to mention the younger guys (Mjebri being the obvious standout) who have a real chance to show their talent.

So the question is are we looking at one of the most consistent eras for our youth output?

The output from our Academy has been phenomenal for a long time. It’s the one area we have well and truly excelled in.

The list of above-average top division players we have produced and let go for basically peanuts is amazing, even recently.

Danny Drinkwater, Johnny Evans, Danny Simpson, Josh King, Phil Bardsley, Tom Heaton, Micheal Keane, Adnan Janujaz, Danny Welbeck, Ryan Shawcross...sure the list goes on and on

 

[Tallis]

Are we currently in a somewhat golden era of graduates? Look I know the big thing about the class if 92 was that they went on to be either top class players or ones that were very good top team squad players and they all came at one time. A bit like the 'La Masia' legend brought on by Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets and Messi they created an aura around the academy and what success looks like from a youth viewpoint. So I want to look at significant players in the current game borne from our youth system and what I believe is their 'level' in the game.

Pogba- would play for most top teams
Rashford- would play for most top teams
Greenwood - a top talent at any club
Henderson - a top talent at any club
Lingard - a top half PL player
Tuanzebe - a top half PL player
McTominay - a top half PL player
Williams - a solid PL player

For me that is who we have that have 'proven' themselves so far. Now we also have Garner who is doing well in the Championship and Laird who, was considered the next most talented in the youth team with Greenwood, has had good performances for MK Dons. That's not to mention the younger guys (Mjebri being the obvious standout) who have a real chance to show their talent.

So the question is are we looking at one of the most consistent eras for our youth output?

It’s been a good era in terms of the players that have already established themselves - we are extremely fortunate to have Rashford, Greenwood, Henderson and McTominay and Williams, Axel provide depth.

However, I am hoping that the next generation of our youth will be even more prolific and hopefully produce 8-10 starting and squad players over the next 3-4 years.

 

[Dve]

Lots of players play for the U/23's...bought from other clubs.

That doesn't make them Academy players.

The U/23 league is just a rebranded Reserve league. Marcus Rojo, Luke Shaw, Chris Smalling, and others have all played in it.

Yes, I know, and it´s more for the argument. Diallo could still play for the u-18 though, so I guess the bottom line is that there is no clear definition of an academy player.

 

[limerickcitykid]

Yes, I know, and it´s more for the argument. Diallo could still play for the u-18 though, so I guess the bottom line is that there is no clear definition of an academy player.

Amad can't still play in the u18s, he's too old.

There is a very clear definition of an academy player, someone who has played in the academy.

 

[Dve]

Amad can't still play in the u18s, he's too old.

There is a very clear definition of an academy player, someone who has played in the academy.

Yes, you are right Amad is a little too old. But what if you sign a 17 years old player that plays one match for the u-18, then joins the senior team. Would you still consider him an academy player?

 

[Mr. MUJAC]

Yes, you are right Amad is a little too old. But what if you sign a 17 years old player that plays one match for the u-18, then joins the senior team. Would you still consider him an academy player?

Its never happened before but in theory...if the player meets the three criteria then yes he would regarded as an Academy player.

Academies are like schools. You either attended that school or you didn’t. People can argue you only attended that school for a few weeks or months...and that it doesn’t count. But the reality is...you joined the school, you went to lessons, you graduated.

Just as a senior player like Nick Culkin who only came on as a sub and played 30 seconds of senior football is regarded a first team player in our history.

But it’s so rare that it’s a pointless discussion. You have to have definitive criteria and sometimes outliers appear.

It doesn’t negate the other 99.9% of cases.

Nothing is ever 100% accurate/perfect.