steveorobbo
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- Feb 5, 2015
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Explain to me how half a proper game is a chance. Seriously. Id love to hear that one.
Lets go back shall we. We have always given youth a chance, OK. Fine. Who didnt back in the 50's and 60's? Then because of Munich, we had to rely on youth to an even greater extent because half the team was wiped out. Even if Munich didnt happen, we still would have relied on youth because thats just how things was back then. We may have got the odd player in from the surrounding cities, but it was still youth that was used.
Move on to the 70's and 80's and we still relied on youth. We was a mid-table team back then, even got relegated, with the odd good cup run and a title challenge here and there. Again we had to rely on bringing our own players through, just like all the other teams then. We wasn't anything special or an exception to the rule.
Then the Fergie era. He, being influenced by Sir Matt, bought into the whole give youth a chance philosophy. Did we really have any other choice in the mid to late 80's? Yeh we had a bit of money, probably more than most and bought our fair share of players but still, teams HAD to rely on youth even then.
The 90's. Class of 92. A group of players all at the same time that only come along like that once in a lifetime. We struck lucky. Emphasising the "united way" of using youth and pushing it to the extreme. And back then, things like only being able to play 3 non english players in Europe certainly helped with regards to relying on youth. How do you think Gary Neville got his chance? Even british players didnt count. They had to be English. So once you started Schmeichel, Irwin and Hughes/Cantona, we had to rely on youth. And the rest followed. They was at the team then for the best part of 15-20 years.
But once the Premiership took off, and the money started to rise, our youth development has tailed off. We have a record for having the most players coming from our youth team, but only a small percentage actually got a chance. Most had to leave to get a chance after losing their best years of development waiting. Most went on to play at a pretty decent level, but what could have been with a bit more of a chance?
The Champions League era and the rule changes didnt help either. We no longer had to rely on youth to make a squad. We could use all the British players and foreigners. Theres another route taken away from the youth. And its just spiralled. Yes we have continued to give youth a chance, but Rio, Rooney, Ronaldo, Jones, Smalling, De Gea ect have all been bought for big money. Not developed at the clough or carrington. Only a handful of truly home grown youth players have been key members of the squads over the years since the class of 92. The likes of Brown, O'Shea, Fletcher, Welbeck, Cleverley and probably only a couple I forgot. Im talking consistent squad players that get a reasonable amount of game time. Not the Phil Bardsley's and Kieran Richardson's of this world.
Yes we have given youth a chance. But there is a difference between buying youth for 10's of Millions and playing them and bringing through your own. In my eyes, we dont do it enough. And thats the last I'll say on the matter. Should have known not to try and have an intelligent conversation on an internet forum.
Lets go back shall we. We have always given youth a chance, OK. Fine. Who didnt back in the 50's and 60's? Then because of Munich, we had to rely on youth to an even greater extent because half the team was wiped out. Even if Munich didnt happen, we still would have relied on youth because thats just how things was back then. We may have got the odd player in from the surrounding cities, but it was still youth that was used.
Move on to the 70's and 80's and we still relied on youth. We was a mid-table team back then, even got relegated, with the odd good cup run and a title challenge here and there. Again we had to rely on bringing our own players through, just like all the other teams then. We wasn't anything special or an exception to the rule.
Then the Fergie era. He, being influenced by Sir Matt, bought into the whole give youth a chance philosophy. Did we really have any other choice in the mid to late 80's? Yeh we had a bit of money, probably more than most and bought our fair share of players but still, teams HAD to rely on youth even then.
The 90's. Class of 92. A group of players all at the same time that only come along like that once in a lifetime. We struck lucky. Emphasising the "united way" of using youth and pushing it to the extreme. And back then, things like only being able to play 3 non english players in Europe certainly helped with regards to relying on youth. How do you think Gary Neville got his chance? Even british players didnt count. They had to be English. So once you started Schmeichel, Irwin and Hughes/Cantona, we had to rely on youth. And the rest followed. They was at the team then for the best part of 15-20 years.
But once the Premiership took off, and the money started to rise, our youth development has tailed off. We have a record for having the most players coming from our youth team, but only a small percentage actually got a chance. Most had to leave to get a chance after losing their best years of development waiting. Most went on to play at a pretty decent level, but what could have been with a bit more of a chance?
The Champions League era and the rule changes didnt help either. We no longer had to rely on youth to make a squad. We could use all the British players and foreigners. Theres another route taken away from the youth. And its just spiralled. Yes we have continued to give youth a chance, but Rio, Rooney, Ronaldo, Jones, Smalling, De Gea ect have all been bought for big money. Not developed at the clough or carrington. Only a handful of truly home grown youth players have been key members of the squads over the years since the class of 92. The likes of Brown, O'Shea, Fletcher, Welbeck, Cleverley and probably only a couple I forgot. Im talking consistent squad players that get a reasonable amount of game time. Not the Phil Bardsley's and Kieran Richardson's of this world.
Yes we have given youth a chance. But there is a difference between buying youth for 10's of Millions and playing them and bringing through your own. In my eyes, we dont do it enough. And thats the last I'll say on the matter. Should have known not to try and have an intelligent conversation on an internet forum.
