To clarify, I was replying to Dortmund signing Bynoe-Gittens. They are bothered with us signing their players (even though they snapped some of those players from us initially), I meant losing their players to other clubs outside the PL. They don't seem that bothered when players leave for clubs outside the PL.
Charlie McNeill | on loan to Stevenage
- Thread starter RedMachine03
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To clarify, I was replying to Dortmund signing Bynoe-Gittens. They are bothered with us signing their players (even though they snapped some of those players from us initially), I meant losing their players to other clubs outside the PL. They don't seem that bothered when players leave for clubs outside the PL.
How good is Bynoe-Gittens? Could he turn into another Sancho?
I genuinely don’t think they’ll care personally.
They’ll care more about being able to post a profit or additional revenue.
No I don’t think so. Sancho is a bigger talent.
Does anyone know how may goals someone like greenwood would have scored at that level?
Cant find anything online
It's a pretty irrelevant stat so I wouldn't bother looking. Some of McNeils goals are absolutely sensational though and he's another two footed player.
His number of goals is incredible really given how he plays. He’s a bit of a Rooney (I think best player comparison for him) getting involved in all areas of the pitch.
United fan scoring loads of goals at his level and we sign him? Love to see it.
He's a United fan so either better incentives or he thought their youth set up would benefit his development more. They're supposedly very good.
He's been at City for 7 years and it was widely known that City had the best academy over the last 10 years maybe? Van Persie, while at United had his son there as well, so did a bunch of other ex United players, I think Cole also.
The number is only relevant if you know which goals are being included, which we don't. If it's every time he's put the ball in the net in training then it's not, obviously. He does look top quality though.
Depends what you mean by best academy? They had good facilities but no reasonable route into the first team.
Is ity imagination or does he facially look a lot like Perisic?
Rooney was a man -boy at the same age. Bullying adult defenders for fun. McNeil isn't TBF to him. Really there hasn't been a Rooney type since...er Rooney
He does in that shot.In terms of skills development rather than opportunities for progression.
I actually think Rooney was more like your typical Argentinian forward physically. Burly and compact.
Yeah but that's just providing an ideal environment to eventually get the feck out of there and progress at a proper club.
With all the sightly-too-young-for-U23s strikers we have will it not be a case of them all sharing matches in that age group depending on who's in form, what the opponent's like, what the coaches think development-wise?
Facilities and coaching for the age groups of 10 to 16. The City group pumped over £100m into it and then royally fecked it up in the last couple of years.
I mean, we've only got City's PR team to rely on for that information.
He is 17. Could claim for a spot in couple of years.
It's a pretty widely held opinion. I don't know any specifics but kids do seem to go there with the intention of improving their skills and not necessarily with the intention of playing for them.
Yeah, they're basically running one of Europe's best academies for almost purely PR purposes and in effect providing a cheap conveyer belt of talent for other clubs. The disconnect between academy and senior side couldn't be starker. Guardiola really needs to step in and start taking a more active role.
Looks like he can play in a variety of forward roles which certainly won't hurt his chances.
Have you seen this lad play a fair bit to be making those statements?
Love this! Welcome back agent McNeill.
If he didn't, it still wouldn't be that ignorant of a statement to make. It's simply knowing the success rate of prospects in general. It's incredibly hard to even make it at the PL level. Most don't make it.
But I get your point.
I remember we had Januzaj and Lingard filling in for striker en route to an u21 title win too (against Harry Kane's Spurs in the final). You're right, we always have this problem.
A much better youth coach and training facilities, it's an easy choice playing for city academy though. The guy who knows football run their club, unlike a former bank accountant who just knows about 'numbers'.
Without seeing someone play, to make a statement which is so specific doesn't really make sense. Everyone knows how tough it is to be a PL level player. But then there are special talents and he could be one of those.
Aah - the same banker argument. Seriously ? Woodward deserves the credit for overhauling our academy. Period.
I don't disagree with you, but I do see the logic in his statement too.
absolutely no, if you haven't seen a guy play, that would be one of the most rubbish statements to make.
Not that again, City were just hoovering up as much local talent as they could from numerous advertised trials at the time, at United you have to be invited for a trial.
I have never seen this lad but I have followed the United academy and the English youth setups for the past 20 years, and know what kind of stats and performances are needed to break through.
Even Welbeck made his debut for a very strong United at age 17 and was playing for England u18s as a 16 year old. This kid scored 1 in 8 appearances for City's u18s last season.
I’ve seen McNeil play over a number of age groups and he’s always been huge for his age, I wouldn’t get carried away with the number of goals he’s scored as it’s not hard to rack up big numbers in academy football, especially when you have a physical advantage. It will be interesting to see if he can keep it going.
Outside of his size advantage, how do you think he is as a player?