The next 3 years of this Manchester United team...

Rozay

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I am massively optimistic about the direction of this Manchester United team. I know the board has been swept by a spirit of negativity all summer, and I’m not even saying we will have the greatest season. What I do think though, is that I am seeing a lot of the ingredients for a great future for the first time in a while.

I said on here a couple of years back that I was beginning to suspect it would take another ‘Co92’ for us to get our shit together. We had tried every type of signing and every type of manager it seemed, yet none of it was working. We had lost our identity as a team, and were getting by on the individual ability of our players rather than the collective ability. And that was only taking us so far.

Now I think with the age and profile of our squad, we will need maybe 2 or 3 first XI additions over the next couple years from outside our existing group. We have a top keeper, and arguably the most promising young keeper in the country in Dean Henderson behind him. Someone who has grown up with us, used to the philosophy of the current coaching team. The back 4 looks ready now, and also has room to grow over the next few years. I suspect we could upgrade Luke Shaw at left-back and have this as one of the positions we would need to sign a player for. We only have one real left back in the squad, and it isn’t one of the positions we have an outstanding young player coming through. We have Axel Tuanzebe as a back up centre half who will also likely grow and improve with the unit, and could challenge for the first XI in this time period.

Midfield is an area we will need to sign one player, maybe two. Matic is done, and we need a new defensive midfielder. Pogba is brilliant, but may not stay. Gomes is a phenomenal talent and you would hope he will become a first XI player in the next few years, and be on a par with any top young creative midfielder out there. Scott McTominay has been making strides too and may establish himself in the XI too.

In attack, we clearly need a right-sided player. By all accounts, we have the best young one in world football at the top of our list. But it’s not just about ability, he will be one who fits in with the team and ethos too. If we can add him, alongside Rashford, Martial, Greenwood, Chong and James - that will be a group in their early to mid twenties that we will hope can compete.

More importantly than the XI is the route they will have taken to become our first XI. Under the stewardship of Ole, Carrick and co, here since young and raised and moulded in a philosophy - I am a firm believer that we have the makings of a great squad, and the real fruits of this summer will be seen in a couple years from now.
 

SCJY

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Post-Co92, I believe Fergie didn't bring through enough youth and instead relied too heavily on marquee signings and bargain-basement punts. I'm not dissing SAF, his legacy is impregnable, but during his later years he could and maybe should have done more to bring through the youth to create a more lasting legacy. Instead of leaving us with a team that needed to be heavily rebuilt right away. Letting PP go when he was obviously ready for more game time and instead bringing Scholes out of retirement will always sit wrongly with me. I still haven't heard of any reasonable justification for this action.

SAF may have been the greatest manager in United history, but he is not the one who has left the greatest cultural impact, that honour obviously still goes to Sir Matt Busby.

Anyway, yes, I'm looking forward to where this team will go over the next few years. Nothing is more rewarding in football than a team built predominantly from academy graduates, and not only from a purely financial perspective either. Exciting times lie ahead if Ole plays the youth extensively this season. I cannot wait.

Look at La Masia at Barcelona. Unbelievably successful until they messed it all up in recent years and are now chasing Galacticos almost as much Real did in their purchasing heyday.
 

Annihilate Now!

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Post-Co92, I believe Fergie didn't bring through enough youth and instead relied too heavily on marquee signings and bargain-basement punts. I'm not dissing SAF, his legacy is impregnable, but during his later years he could and maybe should have done more to bring through the youth to create a more lasting legacy. Instead of leaving us with a team that needed to be heavily rebuilt right away. Letting PP go when he was obviously ready for more game time and instead bringing Scholes out of retirement will always sit wrongly with me. I still haven't heard of any reasonable justification for this action.

SAF may have been the greatest manager in United history, but he is not the one who has left the greatest cultural impact, that honour obviously still goes to Sir Matt Busby.

Anyway, yes, I'm looking forward to where this team will go over the next few years. Nothing is more rewarding in football than a team built predominantly from academy graduates, and not only from a purely financial perspective either. Exciting times lie ahead if Ole plays the youth extensively this season. I cannot wait.

Look at La Masia at Barcelona. Unbelievably successful until they messed it all up in recent years and are now chasing Galacticos almost as much Real did in their purchasing heyday.
Who did we produce in that side that was good enough for the first team bar Pogba?

Those that were good enough (Fletcher, Evans, Welbeck) got through... everyone else didn't because they weren't good enough.
 

RedNed77

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Post-Co92, I believe Fergie didn't bring through enough youth and instead relied too heavily on marquee signings and bargain-basement punts. I'm not dissing SAF, his legacy is impregnable, but during his later years he could and maybe should have done more to bring through the youth to create a more lasting legacy. Instead of leaving us with a team that needed to be heavily rebuilt right away. Letting PP go when he was obviously ready for more game time and instead bringing Scholes out of retirement will always sit wrongly with me. I still haven't heard of any reasonable justification for this action.

SAF may have been the greatest manager in United history, but he is not the one who has left the greatest cultural impact, that honour obviously still goes to Sir Matt Busby.

Anyway, yes, I'm looking forward to where this team will go over the next few years. Nothing is more rewarding in football than a team built predominantly from academy graduates, and not only from a purely financial perspective either. Exciting times lie ahead if Ole plays the youth extensively this season. I cannot wait.

Look at La Masia at Barcelona. Unbelievably successful until they messed it all up in recent years and are now chasing Galacticos almost as much Real did in their purchasing heyday.
Who did we produce in that side that was good enough for the first team bar Pogba?

Those that were good enough (Fletcher, Evans, Welbeck) got through... everyone else didn't because they weren't good enough.
Agree with AnnihilateNow!, I think the Barca situation also backs that up. They had their own CO92, but have been unable to produce anything near it since.

I'm also looking forward to see how the new generation develops, I noticed the OP thinks we may need some more midfielders, but Garner needs to be factored in too. His eye for a pass at the younger levels is a stand out quality.
 

charlenefan

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The class of 92 will never be replicated, the best you can hope for now is 1 or 2 from the same age group and luckily in Gomes and Greenwood we look like we've got just that.
 

Rozay

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Also worth underlining the role of Ole too. He seems the profile of manager who builds a team. We have had a few who are contractors who come in and ‘blow a bag’ (to use a Hip-Hop reference) and try to win trophies - but the sides that are built over time with young players in an image - 9 times out of 10 the manager is also building his own name at the same time. I can see Ole being seen as one of the top managers at the time this project is done.

The likes of Pep, Wenger, Klopp, Ten Haag - these guys built their own name along with their team’s. They were not huge name managers before they embarked on their projects.

We’re going somewhere, and we have the right team in place I think.
 

Rozay

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The class of 92 will never be replicated, the best you can hope for now is 1 or 2 from the same age group and luckily in Gomes and Greenwood we look like we've got just that.
Greenwood, Gomes, Chong and Axel all have a very good chance of being in and around the first team over the next 3 years.

92 had Nev, Becks, Scholes and Giggs - with Butt and Phil more ‘around’ than ‘in’.

I don’t think there will be a massive difference.
 

bosnian_red

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Yep, completely agree. Such a promising group of young players who are ready to become squad players now, while our main starters are relatively young as well. If we assume this to be the starting 11 now, can easily see it turning into tge 2nd lineup in the near future:
De Gea
Wan Bissaka Maguire Lindelof Shaw
Matic Pogba
James Lingard Martial
Rashford

Ddg/Henderson
Wan Bissaka Maguire Lindelof Shaw
McTominay Garner
Greenwood Gomes Martial
Rashford
Not to mention potential signings like Sancho or a midfielder that could come in next summer and really complete the starting 11, or have other younger players really push on (or even have some like Pogba stay even longer then expected). Theres the potential for a brilliant team there, and for once, all of our promising players seem to be able to play in different positions so they won't get in each others way! We have 2 young players who would be standouts in any youth team in any generation through Greenwood and Gomes, while Chong is also up there. We have potentially our back 4 and goalkeeper already set for the next 5-6 years, and a very promising goalkeeper and a very promising CB to back that up (and a couple of promising fullbacks through Dalot and laird) to support that in case something doesn't pan out as expected.

Whi knows how far theyll get to, but there are so many reasons to be optimistic about the near future, and with a bit of good luck in the development of these players, we can become a team that competes for everything. Maybe Ole isn't going to be the manager that gets us to actually win the trophies, time will tell, but I'm glad we have him now as he's very much going to be the one that takes a chance on them, the chance that they need to develop into quality players.
 

bosnian_red

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Greenwood, Gomes, Chong and Axel all have a very good chance of being in and around the first team over the next 3 years.

92 had Nev, Becks, Scholes and Giggs - with Butt and Phil more ‘around’ than ‘in’.

I don’t think there will be a massive difference.
Dont forget Henderson, Laird and Garner as well, with Rashford and McTominay only a few years removed from that group. With Henderson, Laird, Tuanzebe, Garner, McTominay, Gomes, Chong, Greenwood and Rashford, we have 9 players 5 years apart from oldest (mctominay) to youngest (Greenwood) who all have a good shot at becoming important players for us in the future straight from our academy. Of course all won't make it, but that's a really big group of young players that have a pretty realistic view at pushing the first team, not to mention the important young first team players we purchased from elsewhere.
 

ash_86

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Also worth underlining the role of Ole too. He seems the profile of manager who builds a team. We have had a few who are contractors who come in and ‘blow a bag’ (to use a Hip-Hop reference) and try to win trophies - but the sides that are built over time with young players in an image - 9 times out of 10 the manager is also building his own name at the same time. I can see Ole being seen as one of the top managers at the time this project is done.

The likes of Pep, Wenger, Klopp, Ten Haag - these guys built their own name along with their team’s. They were not huge name managers before they embarked on their projects.

We’re going somewhere, and we have the right team in place I think.
Agree completely. Quick fixes is the reason we're in this soup right now.
 

Offside

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In terms of in-comings this Summer could prove the most successful of the post-Fergie era I think. The 3 signings we made seem like proper Man United players to me.
 

Scotty McT

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Greenwood, Gomes, Chong and Tuanzebe all look very talented. Hopefully they fit in nicely in the first XI alongside Macheda, Morrison and Januzaj.

But honestly, the class of 92 was quite obviously a freak occurrence in modern football and we'd be lucky if one of those players made it as a regular in the first team. The expectation some of you place on youngsters reminds me of those future United XI teams I'd invent when I was 14 that were full of youth players like Frazier Campbell and Sylvain Ebanks Blake. Some of you are actually expecting Greenwood to bang in 10-15 goals this season.
 

diarm

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Dont forget Henderson, Laird and Garner as well, with Rashford and McTominay only a few years removed from that group. With Henderson, Laird, Tuanzebe, Garner, McTominay, Gomes, Chong, Greenwood and Rashford, we have 9 players 5 years apart from oldest (mctominay) to youngest (Greenwood) who all have a good shot at becoming important players for us in the future straight from our academy. Of course all won't make it, but that's a really big group of young players that have a pretty realistic view at pushing the first team, not to mention the important young first team players we purchased from elsewhere.
I'd add Lee O'Connor to that list. I see him having a really good chance at making it.
 

Rozay

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I'd add Lee O'Connor to that list. I see him having a really good chance at making it.
I don’t. I like him as a player, but there is no indication that he’s a prominent part of the first team plans.
 

Roboc7

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I’m not convince we’ll see anything like as much game time given to the youngsters. Greenwood and McTominay apart I don’t see anyone getting opportunities initially. There will still be a reliance on the deadwood for most of the season.

The class of 92 were part of a strong team and that’s where real struggle is for Ole. He has to integrate them into a weak team and next summer he’ll most likely lose his best player who we will struggle to replace and that’s in top of what already needs to be done.

Unless there are huge changes behind the scenes and a proper plan is developed I can only see next three years being more of the same. Everything has to start coming together to progress and don’t see that happening.
 

diarm

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I don’t. I like him as a player, but there is no indication that he’s a prominent part of the first team plans.
I think he's a little slower in developing and don't expect him to be involved this year. But I expect him to go on tour next summer and start making a move after that.
 

VeevaVee

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There's definitely positives. If we'd got a quality attacker I think we'd be in much better shape to improve again next year and look decent. As things stand we still have loads to do, and that might turn into even more if one or two decide to leave, creating a never ending problem.

I think anyone that thinks we'll have academy players able to fill all these spots well is naive, but there should be one or two gems. It'll be a long time off before they're hitting the levels we need though.

It always seems to be the case now that we have to look to five years down the line instead of looking good now and preparing for then.
 

Enigma_87

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People put too much hope in prospects. 15 years ago we had a reserve team of players who looked like world beaters in the reserves, U19's - Gibson, Possebon, Rossi, Welbeck, Ebanks Blake.

Look at how they turned out to be.. Truth is very, very few of the talents make it as world class players. I don't see how Greenwood looks any better than Guiseppe Rossi at his age. When the real test comes in and they begin playing at the highest level against tough opposition that is determined not to let you play then you can tell who is going to be a real world class talent or not.

This is why you need a senior group of good players to ease the transition of youth members in the team. A coherent unit where they can gain experience and learn from.

Putting all that pressure on 17,18 years old lads who have played handful of games at senior level is mental...
 

Enigma_87

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I’m not convince we’ll see anything like as much game time given to the youngsters. Greenwood and McTominay apart I don’t see anyone getting opportunities initially. There will still be a reliance on the deadwood for most of the season.

The class of 92 were part of a strong team and that’s where real struggle is for Ole. He has to integrate them into a weak team and next summer he’ll most likely lose his best player who we will struggle to replace and that’s in top of what already needs to be done.

Unless there are huge changes behind the scenes and a proper plan is developed I can only see next three years being more of the same. Everything has to start coming together to progress and don’t see that happening.
Bang on.

That team had Schmeichel, Irwin, Bruce, Pallister, Cantona, Sharpe, Robson, Ince, McClair. Then we bought Roy fecking Keane next year.

A team full of leaders, experience heads, champions...
 

United58

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Who did we produce in that side that was good enough for the first team bar Pogba?

Those that were good enough (Fletcher, Evans, Welbeck) got through... everyone else didn't because they weren't good enough.
Brown was a huge success here too, and injuries cost Rafael (he was really growing in to his role under Ferguson too). Cleverley was an important (if not outstanding) player in Ferguson's plans too.

You could argue Pogba's the only one that didn't break through with us that should have been given more time - he deserved more time in 2011/12 (Rafael and Park ahead of him in midfield?). Morrison was talented enough but his mentality was shocking.

Imagine our current crop under Ferguson's leadership... Hope Ole gives them the time and support they need.
 

Ikon

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It's conceivable that next season or so, we could line up like this...
......................................De Gea (28)............................
Wan-Bissaka (21)...Lindelof (25)...Maguire (26)...Shaw (24)
....................McTominay (22).......Longstaff (21)..............
......................................Pogba (26).............................
.............Sancho (19)......Rashford (21)......Martial (23).......

Squad:
Henderson (22)
Dalot (20)
Tuanzebe (21)
Laird (18)
Pereira (23)
Garner (18)
Gomes (18)
Rice (20)
James (21)
Lingard (26)
Chong (19)
Greenwood (17)

That would only require three signings, Longstaff, Rice & Sancho and we look strong & exciting in all departments....Wow..!!

Maybe, just maybe, we really are genuinely at the beginning of a proper rebuilding project with Ole at the wheel....:devil::devil:
 

Rozay

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There's definitely positives. If we'd got a quality attacker I think we'd be in much better shape to improve again next year and look decent. As things stand we still have loads to do, and that might turn into even more if one or two decide to leave, creating a never ending problem.

I think anyone that thinks we'll have academy players able to fill all these spots well is naive, but there should be one or two gems. It'll be a long time off before they're hitting the levels we need though.

It always seems to be the case now that we have to look to five years down the line instead of looking good now and preparing for then.
I’m not talking exclusively about academy prospects. I’m saying ‘young players’ in general. That includes some we have already bought, and one I am hopeful we will buy. Of the academy players, they aren’t even really ‘academy players’ anymore. They are young first teamers. Fully promoted. Would it help if we just bought them? My optimism isn’t solely based on their academy form anymore. It is their outings with the first team too. They have all impressed at times with the big boys now. Some will be in the first XI, maybe even just 2, but others will be part of the squad. The likes of Axel will be there or thereabouts. Greenwood likewise. Scott is already. Rash is there. Greenwood is a proper first team forward at 17. These players have to be considered and it’s fair to be excited I think.
 

VeevaVee

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I’m not talking exclusively about academy prospects. I’m saying ‘young players’ in general. That includes some we have already bought, and one I am hopeful we will buy. Of the academy players, they aren’t even really ‘academy players’ anymore. They are young first teamers. Fully promoted. Would it help if we just bought them? My optimism isn’t solely based on their academy form anymore. It is their outings with the first team too. They have all impressed at times with the big boys now. Some will be in the first XI, maybe even just 2, but others will be part of the squad. The likes of Axel will be there or thereabouts. Greenwood likewise. Scott is already. Rash is there. Greenwood is a proper first team forward at 17. These players have to be considered and it’s fair to be excited I think.
Yeah that bit wasn't aimed at your op, just the general subject.
I'm excited about the young players, just nervous about whether we'll ever have a solid team if we keep approaching it so cautiously.
 

charlenefan

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Greenwood, Gomes, Chong and Axel all have a very good chance of being in and around the first team over the next 3 years.

92 had Nev, Becks, Scholes and Giggs - with Butt and Phil more ‘around’ than ‘in’.

I don’t think there will be a massive difference.
I'm not sure about Cong tbh. Tuanzebe and McTominay are from different age groups but you're right if we can get those 2, along with Gomes and Greenwood plus Rashford (and Lingard) all part of the first team then we'll be doing something not many other sides can boast
 

Globule

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I’m not convince we’ll see anything like as much game time given to the youngsters. Greenwood and McTominay apart I don’t see anyone getting opportunities initially. There will still be a reliance on the deadwood for most of the season.

The class of 92 were part of a strong team and that’s where real struggle is for Ole. He has to integrate them into a weak team and next summer he’ll most likely lose his best player who we will struggle to replace and that’s in top of what already needs to be done.

Unless there are huge changes behind the scenes and a proper plan is developed I can only see next three years being more of the same. Everything has to start coming together to progress and don’t see that happening.
The bolded part cannot be overstated. The youngsters back then were part of a well run club and were coming into a strong squad with a winning mentality under a highly respected, winning manager. They were shown the standards being set and told that they would need to reach this level to be a success.

The current lot are being shown the standards being set and being asked to raise them.
 

SparkedIntoLife

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From what I can see, we'll need an attacker (Sancho please), two central midfielders (Longstaff and someone absolutely class to replace Pogba who I can't see sticking around beyond next season) and potentially another defender if Laird/Dalot/O'Connor/Williams/Mengi don't prove good enough competition. There's a lot of variables, especially how well the youth develop and whether people like Bailly, Fred, Fosu-Mensah and so on can come good.

Future squad in 3 years perhaps. Bit of fun, don't lynch me :) -

GK: De Gea, Henderson, Kovar/Fojticek
RB: Wan-Bissaka, Dalot
LB: Shaw, Laird/Williams
CD: Tuanzebe, Maguire, Lindelöf, Smalling/Jones, O'Connor/Mengi
CM: Fabian Ruiz/Aouar, McTominay, Longstaff, Garner, Puigmal/Traore/Levitt/Mejbri
RW: Greenwood, Chong, Elanga/Shoretire
LW: Sancho, James, Ramazani/McCann
AM: Gomes, Lingard/Pereira, Mejia/Neville
ST: Rashford, Martial, Hoogewerf/Emeran
 

Adnan

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In 3 years we might also have two 19 year old French prodigies in Emeran and Hannibal ready to break through. Shoretirie, Forson, Mejia and Hoogewerf too possibly. I for one am quite excited to see how these lads develop in the coming seasons.
 

Rozay

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The bolded part cannot be overstated. The youngsters back then were part of a well run club and were coming into a strong squad with a winning mentality under a highly respected, winning manager. They were shown the standards being set and told that they would need to reach this level to be a success.

The current lot are being shown the standards being set and being asked to raise them.
It can be overstated, and is. It isn’t formulaic. Barcelona’s batch did not come into a side anywhere near the level that they themselves made it into.

Ajax have done the same, Dortmund have done similar too. Monaco recently did the same. An injection of quality young players has turned average sides into top ones many times, and will continue to do so.