Not many know this, but Manchester United have this amazing standing 75 year old record of including at least one youth academy product in its match day squad – you have to go all the way back to October 1937 which is the last time when we didn’t have an academy product in our matchday squad. As of today 25 August 2016, 3 official competitive matches into the Jose Mourinho era, that run continues.
When I found out about this fact, I was absolutely gobsmacked. It’s crazy isn’t it? But over all those years, how many academy youth products have actually become successful in the first team? We all know about the Busby’s Babes and Fergie’s Fledglings, so what now, Jose’s Juniors?🙂
When Jose was appointed back in July 2016, there was a huge debate on his commitment to youth development as his previously assembled Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid teams were all made up of expensive well established super stars. During his very first press conference as United manager, he was even prepared for this inevitable question from journalists by producing a list of 49 youth academy products that he claims to have promoted to the first team, in an attempt to dispel this myth.
However, on closer inspection, it seems that not many of these 49 youth players have been given sufficient opportunities in Jose’s first team to prove themselves. Perhaps after having given them the opportunity, Jose felt that they just weren’t good enough? But at least he did give them the opportunity right? I’m trying to be optimistic here as I worry a little for a group of current United youngsters who certainly have the potential to become world beaters. But will they be given enough opportunities to show what they are capable of? Of course, looking at the current depth of our squad, some should be sent out on loan but some (those that Jose feels are ready to make an impact on the first team) will stay and be expected to make a decent amount of appearances in the team throughout the course of the season. With the few academy products still left in the squad, let’s just hope this long standing 75 year old record doesn’t end during Jose’s reign. I certainly hope it doesn’t.
There are three youth academy products in particular that I want to talk about in detail:
Adnan Januzaj
We have to start with our Belgian wonderkid Adnan Januzaj don’t we. So much promise when he made his debut under David Moyes in the 2013/2014 season. For such a forgettable season, he was the one shining light who produced moments of magic which invariably led to the comparisons with Giggsy when he first started out as a youngster. Clearly a precocious talent, we expected him to kick on from such a decent debut season and go from strength to strength in the following season. He was even allocated Giggsy’s (after he retired) legendary number 11 shirt which just goes to show how much faith and belief the club had in him. Things didn’t turn out as we hoped as he ended up having a pretty dreadful season with 21 appearances and no goals scored. I feel that perhaps he shouldn’t have been given the number 11 jersey so early on in his career which could have placed a huge burden on his shoulders – I mean imagine a 19 year old, taking on the legendary Giggs’ number 11 jersey, our most decorated footballer in United’s history; those are some massive shoes to fill. The comparisons were inevitable as well due to the similar styles of play of both players – left footed, technically sound, pace to burn and loves a dribble.
Unfortunately, Januzaj was subsequently sent out on loan to Borussia Dortmund halfway through the 2015/2016 season in what was pretty much an uneventful spell where he hardly had any game time. Apparently, rumours were that he didn’t show the right attitude or desire which led to United recalling him from loan after only playing 12 games for Dortmund and making 3 starts. In that ignominious final season (yes we did win the FA Cup but overall, we were still dreadful throughout the season) under Van Gaal, Januzaj only made 7 appearances and scored 1 goal. Such a fall from grace after an amazing debut season just a couple years before. This season, Jose has stated that he considers Januzaj as part of his plans and has sent him out on a season long loan to Sunderland which for me is perfect, as with David Moyes in charge, I believe we will see the best of him as Moyes was the one who gave him his debut and nurtured him during that 2013/2014 season.
I know it’s still early days yet but he has already shown what he is capable of in his past two appearances for Sunderland.
And a wonder strike (with his weaker foot!) against Shrewsbury in the English Football League Cup just last night (24 Aug 2016).
The kid has clearly been in the gym over the summer and worked his socks off preparing for the season ahead. Let’s just hope he keeps his head down, improves his attitude/desire and produces consistently good performances throughout the season during his time with Sunderland. He is still only 21 so there is plenty of time for him to develop and under the tutelage of David Moyes, one can only hope we will see the best of him this season.
Another two United youth products that I am really interested to see how they develop are Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Andreas Pereira.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah
The Dutchman (still a boy actually) Fosu-Mensah is only 18 years old but he is already built like a tank. He is 1.90m and imagine how much more he can grow given that he is still only a teenager. I believe this kid is going to be a massive star for us in the near future. Jose seems to agree as he has decided against sending him out on loan and has kept him in his squad for this season. This should mean that Fosu-Mensah will be given opportunities to play as that is the only way for a young promising player to develop. He was given his debut last season by Van Gaal (one of the few things I am thankful to Louie for) and made 10 appearances. He clearly showed that he has plenty of potential with the bulk of his appearances in the right back position. Pace, power, ability to pick a pass and dribble past an opposing player, he showed plenty of glimpses of these attributes during those 10 appearances. This was his performance against Spurs last season where we pretty much collapsed and conceded 3 goals after he was taken off injured in the 70th minute.
He is most definitely like a raw diamond that needs to be polished and I strongly believe he will get plenty of chances to play this season and develop into a world class player sooner rather than later. Looking at his physicality, pace, passing ability and pure determination, I can see him as a box to box type of midfielder with the ability to bulldoze his way through the opposition at will. Like a tank. Let’s hope Jose also sees him as a central midfielder and develops him in that position. United fans all over the world salivate at the thought of a potential central midfield axis of Paul Pogba and Timothy Fosu-Mensah.
Andreas Pereira
Our Brazilian youngster Andreas Pereira (20 years old) is another one I would class as a wonderkid with bags of potential and he was touted to be a star of the future soon after impressing in the under-21s. He was given his debut by Van Gaal in the 2014/2015 season but unfortunately, did not made much of an impact and ended up making only a couple of appearances in the campaign. In the subsequent season, he made 9 appearances but managed to score a wonderful debut freekick goal against Ipswich Town in the League Cup.
For me, I fully agree with Jose in that the best chance for this kid to develop would be to go out on loan to preferably a Premier League club and get as much playing time as possible. He clearly has the technical ability and composure to play as a number 10 or number 8 and I am sure there will be plenty of clubs out there who are interested to take him on loan.
I really hope these three wonderkids will be part of a not-too-distant United future where they have firmly established themselves in the United first-team. That could be some ways down the road though as looking at the current depth of our squad, we really do look to have a nice mix of youngsters, players in their peak as well as established and experienced legends. Jose certainly knows what he is doing and this is the squad he has picked and I believe we have the depth and strength to challenge for all available trophies this season.
Potential future United 11 – De Gea (25), Shaw (21), Tuanzebe (18), Bailly (22), Jones (24), Fosu-Mensah (18), Pogba (23) (captain), Lingard (23), Pereira (20), Martial (20), Rashford (18)