Nick Powell

[nimic]

I guess sarcasm is lost on some.

And irony on others.

 

[BD]

Big question is, will he be converted to a CM. Could see it happening as I don't think he has the pace and flair to play behind the striker ( from the little bits i've seen )...

Still, 18, he has a long way to develop and hopefully we've got our own Aaron Ramsey...

He'll be a CM. Tbh, the way Ramsey has played this year, ad since his injury, I'd be hoping Powell to do better.

 

[Virtuoso]

The new Ronaldo? Fergie tells Nick Powell to follow Cristiano's path to Old Trafford stardom

Crewe boss Dario Gradi reveals Man United manager's words of advice

Sir Alex Ferguson has told new striker Nick Powell he can follow Cristiano Ronaldo's route to the first team at Manchester United.

Powell is joining United from Crewe in a deal which could be worth up to £6million and Fergie has high hopes for the 18-year-old striker.

He believes he can break into his first-team squad and pointed to the success Ronaldo had when he moved to Old Trafford in 2003 at a similar age.

Watch Nick Powell's best goals for Crewe

Dario Gradi, who is now Crewe's director of football and academy director, says Fergie convinced Powell to sign for him during a chat.

"Alex convinced Nick that if he does well enough early doors, maybe if he goes on as a substitute, like Ronaldo in his early days there, then he would pick him," said Gradi.

"He said that when Ronaldo first went to United he was fantastic when he went on as a sub and so he picked him and he was equally fantastic when he started a game.

"His agent was, quite rightly, considered whether this was a step too far, too soon, and that he should have a step in between.

"But to me that wasn’t an option. You don’t get a chance to go to Manchester United very often and this was a chance I thought he had to take.

"If he had asked me I would have said 'Nick you need to go to Manchester United’ which is something I have never done before with a player because I’ve always let them decide."

Gradi says Fergie went all the way to Torquay to scout Powell and knew straight away he is a real talent.

"Alex Ferguson went to watch Nick play at Torquay I think it was and then he came to watch him at Gresty Road when he didn’t play quite so well," said Gradi.

"Anyway he rang me the next day to say do you want to do a deal?’ I said ‘of course, we want to do a deal'.

"He said to me, 'I wanted to see him. He is athletic he’s a good size, he’s good physically and he’s bright, he knows where people are around him. His clever with his play, he’s not just twinkle toes'.

"Nick’s got a brain and a desire and Alex spotted it on the strength of one outing."

The new Ronaldo? Fergie tells Nick Powell to follow Cristiano's path to Old Trafford stardom

Interesting to see how the deal came about and good to see what Dario Gradi has to say of the deal and of Nick Powell as a player. It does seem like we will be keeping Powell at the club next season and really giving him a chance in the first team set-up. Seems promising and I'm looking forward to watching his progress.

 

[Crustanoid]

Ah God, don't saddle him with that kind of pressure

 

[Carl]

Cristiano Powell...

 

[Sarni]

But this player has no footballing brain. It is an awful signing. Scholesy doesn't rate this player. Poor technique.

 

[INF-AMOS]

i like our kit. I think it is snazzy.

image deleted.

 

[The Neviller]

And irony on others.

Who are you talking about here?

 

[Ringo 07]

Whats with our team all having massive wavey quiff fringe haircuts now? First Rooneys new hairstyle and now Powell. Were starting to look more and more like a cricket team with each passing day.

 

[Beachryan]

How big is the lad? That's the first picture I've seen in years where Gill isn't dwarfing the new signing...

 

[Everest Red]

Whats with our team all having massive wavey quiff fringe haircuts now? First Rooneys new hairstyle and now Powell. Were starting to look more and more like a cricket team with each passing day.

That's a good thing.

 

[ricky-romeo]

How big is the lad? That's the first picture I've seen in years where Gill isn't dwarfing the new signing...

definitely a six footer

 

[StuCol]

Some wankstain on twitter tweeted 'munich' at him already.

What is wrong with people?

 

[Ferguson]

United, though, have confirmed their second transfer of the summer with the arrival of highly-rated youngster Nick Powell from Crewe.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder has arrived for a fee that will eventually reach in excess of £4 million, according to the Manchester Evening News.

And Powell will encounter a familiar face at Old Trafford in the form of youth coach Colin Little, who, as a former coach at Crewe, worked with the England youth international during his formative years. Little spoke of his experiences of Powell's early ability, which should give United fans plenty of encouragement.

"I have a smile on my face when I return home after training after seeing what they can do and that's how I felt when I used to see Nick as a 13-year-old. " he said, according to the Manchester Evening News.

"It sounds mad but some of the things he was doing with a ball was stuff that I used to watch Cristiano Ronaldo doing for United. He had feet like Ronaldo.

"A lot of people will only have seen little clips of what Nick can do from the TV but that is nothing to what I have seen him do in training. He was doing stuff I'd not seen others do before."

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/352...ansfer-rumours-modric-lewandowski-asamoah.htm

 

[Ferguson]

It sounds like we will have had him well scouted if we have one of his former youth team coaches now working for United's setup.

 

[Moston Red]

Some wankstain on twitter tweeted 'munich' at him already.

What is wrong with people?

Small minded feckers.

 

[RyanGoggs]

Bloody hell he is getting enough Ronaldo comparisons already

 

[Drainy]

Bloody hell he is getting enough Ronaldo comparisons already

and when we signed Mats Moller Daehli his youth team coach said he was like a cross between Messi and Xavi. Its people who have invested a lot of time and effort into a young player going over the top with praise, take it for what its worth.

 

[RyanGoggs]

and when we signed Mats Moller Daehli his youth team coach said he was like a cross between Messi and Xavi. Its people who have invested a lot of time and effort into a young player going over the top with praise, take it for what its worth.

That's the problem really, a lot of people lavish praise on him before he has really done anything. Obviously he looks a talent but he really needs to stay grounded and develop at his own pace

 

[gulli_G]

and when we signed Mats Moller Daehli his youth team coach said he was like a cross between Messi and Xavi. Its people who have invested a lot of time and effort into a young player going over the top with praise, take it for what its worth.

so he is the new Iniesta?

 

[Adam-Utd]

How big is the lad? That's the first picture I've seen in years where Gill isn't dwarfing the new signing...

bebe

 

[StuCol]

so he is the new Iniesta?

Nope, Messi....

 

[londonredmaniac]

Some wankstain on twitter tweeted 'munich' at him already.

What is wrong with people?

They are people.

People are cnuts.

Sure it wont bother him.

 

[devilish]

Am I the only one to think that we should keep him at OT for one year and see if he can deliver the stuff right away?

 

[Unam333]

Not expecting anything from a 18 year old who played in the 2nd division last season. Still, hope he does well, improves and hopefully will be a squad player within a few years.

 

[devilish]

Not expecting anything from a 18 year old who played in the 2nd division last season. Still, hope he does well, improves and hopefully will be a squad player within a few years.

I am not expecting anything special too and I confess that I rarely saw him play. However from the little I saw, feck that kid seems to be the real thing. His technique, awareness and finishing skills are top notch. Its not as if they weren't any players coming from lower divisions and produced the stuff straight away.

 

[londonredmaniac]

Great potential in a young player who seems to know his way around the pitch and works like a fecker off the ball.#

Technically he is good and will continue to learn. Fitness willing he is at the best place for that.

 

[Carl]

Am I the only one to think that we should keep him at OT for one year and see if he can deliver the stuff right away?

I absolutely think we should keep him at the club for a year. If anything it will be good for his football education.

 

[londonredmaniac]

I'm not sure. I'm a little torn on that one.

If he's going to get some game time (even if it is the last 20 minutes against lesser sides at OT when we're comfortable) and CC and FA Cup outings then why not?

If he's going to be part of the reserve squad he'd be better off on loan to League one.

Just what I think.

 

[The Neviller]

I think everyone has ignored my assertion that he'll play next year in the first team because he's exactly as good as Gerrard only better.

 

[londonredmaniac]

I think everyone has ignored my assertion that he'll play next year in the first team because he's exactly as good as Gerrard only better.

 

[StuCol]

I think everyone has ignored my assertion that he'll play next year in the first team because he's exactly as good as Gerrard only better.

Because we like to live in a place called 'reality'.

Well, most of the time.

 

[Striker10]

I don't think we benefit from loaning to anything but a premiership club. Even then you never know if the feckers will play him. Keep him at OT and if he's good enough he'll get games. He's had experience of lower leagues.

 

[Adzzz]

I can safely say I have no idea about this lad. Is he an attacking mid?

 

[StuCol]

They are people.

People are cnuts.

Sure it wont bother him.

I'd still love to spam the feck out of the bell-end until he closes his twitter.

 

[StuCol]

I can safely say I have no idea about this lad. Is he an attacking mid?

Deep lying centre back striker attacking full back

 

[londonredmaniac]

I don't think we benefit from loaning to anything but a premiership club. Even then you never know if the feckers will play him. Keep him at OT and if he's good enough he'll get games. He's had experience of lower leagues.

I don't agree with that at all personally.

 

[The Neviller]

On a serious note, Powell is different from 18 year olds coming through our own ranks, in that he doesn't need to go out on loan to get the feeling of playing first team football, he already has that. He played in a promotion winning side, so he already has more experience than other young players at our club.

I'm not saying he shouldn't go out on loan, just that the fact he has played some first team league football already means he may well not follow the tried and tested path Fergie takes with our own produced yoof.

 

[londonredmaniac]

I'd still love to spam the feck out of the bell-end until he closes his twitter.

I'd like to take his nose off with a right hook...but hey

 

[londonredmaniac]

On a serious note, Powell is different from 18 year olds coming through our own ranks, in that he doesn't need to go out on loan to get the feeling of playing first team football, he already has that. He played in a promotion winning side, so he already has more experience than other young players at our club.

I'm not saying he shouldn't go out on loan, just that the fact he has played some first team league football already means he may well not follow the tried and tested path Fergie takes with our own produced yoof.

A fair point made there. I wouldn't be against him going down a league or two in order to get football every week and continue his development.