quite a few, I’ve heard
Miscellaneous Reserve/Youth News
- Thread starter Cevno
- Start date
We seemed to spend a lot the past few years but it definitely has gone quiet, or lesser talents coming through in the 18's. I've watched a decade and more of academy and this current group is probably the worst I've seen. We have been spoilt the past few years though.
not actually sure, @Adnan might know though
I don't believe they're related. David Harrison is from Leeds, and when the Abu Dhabi group bought City in 2008, and left Garry Cook in charge, he made a lot of mistakes before turning to a former colleague from Nike a year later (Brian Marwood) who structured and oversaw the development of the football side of the club. And it was Marwood who poached David Harrison and his team from Leeds which was a team regarded as the best in the business when it came to youth recruitment. And John Murtough did the same in 2016/17 and brought Harrison and his team to United to oversee the scouting at youth level, whilst Murtough was in charge of the whole process at the development level. He was basically the DoF at youth level.
United struggled to sign players players last season because imo, John Murtough isn't directly involved in the process of signing youth players anymore due to being the head of football at first team level. So it does seem like they had a bit of a issue getting deals done, but Andy O'boyle is now at the club in a assistant DoF role and will probably be involved in getting deals done. He was reportedly involved in the Weghorst negotiations and will hopefully make up the shortfall at youth/development level.
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Just a reminder that the U21's have a rare match live on MUTV tonight (in the UK at least). Away at West Ham, 7pm.
Savage to League 1 potentially Forest Green. Pye told he can leave currently on trial at another Prem club.
Wasn't Pye meant to be highly rated?
Every youngster we sign is highly rated.
Very helpful thanks.
He was, should have stayed at Sunderland instead of chasing the money too early.
Thanks for the info.
Pye has been injured for more than half of his time at United.
United defeated Feyenoord 2-1 in their final Group B match in the Premier League International Cup at Carrington tonight.
Team: Vitek, Juardo, Murray, Hardley, Aljofree; Collyer, Mejia, Gore (c), McNeill, Forson, Emeran.
Subs: Lacey (7), Mastny, Hugill (8), Scanlon (11), Fitzgerald (6), Jackson (4), Nolan (2)
Goals: McNeill 2
A good result for a very young team. Fitzgerald, Lacey and Scanlon all played about 20 mins.
United are now out of the competition after finishing with 4 points.
Team: Vitek, Juardo, Murray, Hardley, Aljofree; Collyer, Mejia, Gore (c), McNeill, Forson, Emeran.
Subs: Lacey (7), Mastny, Hugill (8), Scanlon (11), Fitzgerald (6), Jackson (4), Nolan (2)
Goals: McNeill 2
A good result for a very young team. Fitzgerald, Lacey and Scanlon all played about 20 mins.
United are now out of the competition after finishing with 4 points.
Is the match tonight live on MUTV ?
Yes.
Didn't see a thread for DiShon Bernard
Seems to be going backwards after a good Championship loan last year, now downgrade to League One with Pompey
Seems to be going backwards after a good Championship loan last year, now downgrade to League One with Pompey
The loan at Hull began well but he was warming the bench by the end, I think it was a tactical change but he went from regular starter to a back up role post January. This season he has been injured until recently so likely dropping down to L1 was the best way to guarantee a certain number of starts. Do think he is likely one of those who will be leaving permanently in the summer though.
It was a change of manager in Jan that changed his fortunes (and that manager has now been sacked after less than a year) - he was doing well and even got the odd MOTM in the first part of the season for Hull. Disappointing he has not been able to push on from that
This is why the whole loan system is so difficult when deciding who to send out, when and where.
The other consideration is that when young players get to a certain age the majority reach a plateau and that often determines the level they are playing at.
I think many Academy players need to be playing first team football as soon as possible but the maths don't work out so the opportunities are minimal and the competitive landscape often means you don't get many second chances.
You see this now with Bernard, Tuanzebe, Williams, Mengi, Wellens, Bishop et al. Playing in our U/21's isn't what they need but there aren't that many other clubs wanting them at Championship level or above.
In addition the players already on loan...,Fernandez, Laird, Mee, Mejbri, Kovar, Galbraith, Fish, Shoretire, Savage etc...for the most part it's the first step to a career away from United.
It's very rare that a player goes out on loan and comes back to play 50+ games for the club and is an integral part of the first team. Probably a handful of players in 50+ years.
But you don't always know that when they are very young so you need test them in the right way.
Statistically the loan system doesn't work in providing Manchester United with long-term first team players...but it does work in giving young playesr a career in the game (over 100 former Academy players playing league football somewhere in the world).
Seems to be getting rarer that players have a good loan that leads to getting first team action at Man Utd - used to work well for the likes of O'Shea, Welbeck or Evans
Who was the last one? Lingard ?
Nowadays if you don't go straight into the team (Rashford, McTominay, Greenwood) then your chances are slim
TBF some who had successful loans recently (Tuanzebe, Bernard, Williams right now) have been unlucky with long injuries that have made progress difficult but just a shame to see Tuanzebe & Bernard going backwards in terms of the loan deals they get
Just wondering how many players who've gone on loan have ended up playing 100+ games for us afterwards. Must be a handful.
I was thinking of first team regulars so I use the benchmark of 76 games which equates to two full seasons. You could use 50 or 100 but it doesn't really change the numbers.
There are eight players who have gone on loan who have ended up playing 76+ games for us and five have made 100+ appearances. So eight players out of 200+ loans. This as statistic says that 4% of loans actually contribute to young players becoming regulars in our first team.
So sending out players on loan over the last 50 years has had incredibly minimal affect on helping them become first team players for Manchester United. It has helped them to become professional footballers from their personal career perspective.
That's why I say the loan system doesn't work...at least for the club directly. Indirectly of course, it helps with attracting young players as they know there is a fabulous pathway for them which is true.
Here are the players:
David Beckham ( I include him for accuracy but four games for Preston was neither here nor there in terms of 'significant' development)
Jonny Evans
Danny Welbeck
John O'Shea
Jesse Lingard
Kieran Richardson
Darron Gibson
Adnan Januzaj
Tom Cleverly?
And as for Januzaj - he went on loan after the majority of his time at United, so I don't think he can be used as a proof of efficiency of our loan system. Besides that he played less than 76 games for us.
Swap Cleverley for Januzaj....the statistics are exactly the same...
Pereira? Although he had 75 games I think so probably just below the line, but I think more than Gibson for example. Not sure to be honest.
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Just tried a suicidal pass before half-time,needs to reign it in just a little bit.
He needs to carry on playing his natural game. Making mistakes is part of the developmental process at his age.
Totally agree but trying to thread a ball through two Newcastle players just was never on.
Looks really calm on the ball/under pressure.
Anyone know if Lacey is injured or if he's back with the U16's this week?
With both the U18's and U21's playing at the same time I was expecting him to be with the U18's this morning.
With both the U18's and U21's playing at the same time I was expecting him to be with the U18's this morning.
I like how Armer just got described as 'Armer' on screen and by the commentator. 
I assume that's because he's an U15 player - though not sure why, if they're saying his surname, that they choose not to give his first name.
Good result for the U18's. Musa actually doing well filling in as a #9. More in the style of McNeill, in that he's not offering much other than a threat in the box - rather than the all-round workrate of Norkett and Hugill - but 3 in the last 2 is a good effort by him.
I assume that's because he's an U15 player - though not sure why, if they're saying his surname, that they choose not to give his first name.
Good result for the U18's. Musa actually doing well filling in as a #9. More in the style of McNeill, in that he's not offering much other than a threat in the box - rather than the all-round workrate of Norkett and Hugill - but 3 in the last 2 is a good effort by him.
An U18/U21 double completed with the U21's beating Everton 4-1.
Hugill with the first, and a hat trick for Omari Forson - completed with an injury time penalty.
Hugill with the first, and a hat trick for Omari Forson - completed with an injury time penalty.
Not sure about an injury but he wasn't involved with the U/16's who beat Newcastle 2-1 with a late Oriola winner.
Thanks for that. Hope he's OK.
Good to see the U16's won as well. Oriola was also a sub for the U18's, wasn't he?
Now its up to the mains to keep the good results going tomorrow.
Please.
Please.
I have given the U21s some stick for their poor results this season, but then I also need to give some praise when they are doing well. For a team that went close to 10 games without winning at the start of the season (and then got hammered 1-6 by City), it's an incredible turn-around to win 5 league games in a row. What makes it especially impressive is that we have done it with a lot of players out on loan. Todays team was a bunch of 18 and 19 year olds - with only Hardley of the outfield-players who had turned 20.
And it's really good to see Joe Hugill back to his best - 6 goals in the last 5 league games.
Well done.
And it's really good to see Joe Hugill back to his best - 6 goals in the last 5 league games.
Well done.
Lacey has been very poor in the last couple of games
Any players in the U21/18 teams who have a chance of making it, outside Mainoo?