Login Register
Logout

Manchester United's plan to unearth the next Rashford

Man Utd are building up their global recruitment network - but still have eyes on the local patch says academy chief Nicky Butt.

Wythenshawe's Marcus Rashford on the ball in the derby

Marcus Rashford was the only Mancunian on duty in the Manchester derby for United - but Reds academy head Nicky Butt insists the Wythenshawe-born striker is not one of a dying breed at Old Trafford.

Gorton-born Butt was a regular in derbies during his Manchester United career, along with Salford's Paul Scholes and Greater Manchester's Bury born Gary and Phil Neville.

Longsight's Wes Brown also added to the local contingent that regularly lined up against the Blues during Sir Alex Ferguson's glorious reign.

But Rashford was the odd man out on Saturday.

And this summer in their revamp of the academy, the Reds have also gone out and bought new teenage recruits Tahith Chong from Feyenoord and Nishan Burkart from FC Zurich to improve the youth squad.

The Reds have massively increased their worldwide scouting network. However, Butt says that local home-produced talent will still be sourced.

“No chance are we going away from trying to recruit locally as well," Butt told M.E.N Sport.

“You just never know because each season brings up different possibilities.

“This year for instance in our Under-12s, you'd normally take 14 players but it was such a good year we have brought in 22. That has never been done before. We had to bring in another staff member to deal with that year.

“One year you might get eight great players in from Europe that you have to bring in otherwise you might lose a superstar to somebody else.

Butt's ideal squad would contain eight-10 locals.
Butt's ideal squad would contain eight-10 locals.

“My ideal squad would be eight to 10 local lads, three to four UK based lads and two or three European lads. That would be the ideal. That would be the template to work from.

“It doesn't always happen like that. But we are definitely not going away from the local boys.”

Butt was central to the Class of 92 and thinks that golden era could be repeated.

“The Class of 92 can be done again," nhe added. "Ability wise it definitely can be done again because some of these boys are better than I was when I was 16. They have so much more ability.

“The talent is there so it can be done again. There is no reason why it cannot. I would be really proud if it does. I'd love it to happen again.

“It is a bit like the treble season it can be done again but everything has to be right, the timing, the players, the manager.

“It is our job and the club's job to make to happen and do it again. I was always confident the club could it again. I wouldn't have taken the job otherwise.”

Comments

Premier League News

Journalists

Neal Keeling
Chief Reporter, Crime, Salford, Fire Service
John Scheerhout
Crime
Charlotte Cox
Wythenshawe, Airport
Yakub Qureshi
Education, Religion
Dean Kirby
Health
Jennifer Williams
Politics, Local government, Trade unions
Paul Britton
Defence, Bury, Bolton, Wigan
Dan Thompson
Investigations
Chris Osuh
Court
Pete Bainbridge
Breaking News
Richard Wheatstone
Blackley, Cheetham Hill, Crumpsall, Collyhurst, Harpurhey, Openshaw, Moston, Newton Heath, Ancoats, Clayton, Gorton, Ardwick
Amy Glendinning
Moss Side, Hulme, Whalley Range, Longsight, Rusholme, Levenshulme, Burnage
Chris Slater
North and East Manchester
Emily Heward
Digital Journalist
Emma Flanagan
Digital Journalist