In an interview with Shortlist Magazine, SAF declared for the first time that he understands the very high pressure on the “Big Four” to perform with only little time to deliver. This statement was surprisingly made around the topic of introducing new young talents in the today’s game.
“When you are a top four club, you have to understand that you need success right away,” Ferguson told Shortlist magazine.
“You can’t wait three of four years for players to ease in like perhaps you can with clubs who are not expected to win silverware year in year out.”
Considered Ferguson’s track record with youngsters it is an understatement to say I was flabbergasted when reading this.
This Season we have seen the introduction of new youngsters with local boy Danny Wellbeck, Irish youngster Gibson, who is a so-called homegrown player according to UEFA proposals and another local boy, Richard Eckersley who made his debut in the FA Cup against Spurs.
Every time SAF brings another younger payer to the club I think ‘I will wait 2 years before I make a judgment on this player’, because it just seems to me that SAF and his crew plan two years to allow the youngsters to adapt to the English game and continue to mould them as players. I don’t think SAF spoke for ManU but rather tried to support all new managers in position in the League. After two years you always see a new player a totally new player emerge. Think about Rooney’s and Cristiano’s development in their first years 2 at Old Trafford.
The problem for youngsters at the Top Four is somewhere else: the high quality of the Prem is the problem, not the pressure for the club to perform. As a youngster at 18 or 19 when you make your debut for a “Big Four” team, you have to be better than a 28 year old player at Middlesborough already. If you’re 18 and feature regularly in your squad, playing against Lamps, Torres, Santa Cruz, Terry, Laursen it will be challenging. And if you’re that good and have some great performances, soon you’ll be hailed as the new hero in town, in England even, putting the pressure on you even more the next season. Micah Richards anybody?
SAF introduces players slowly and sends them out on loan to grow when needed. How often haven’t we seen a youngster debut only to see him leave soon after and then return. We currently have 11 players out on loan.
So why did SAF say this? Can anyone help me out?
PS: Doesn’t this badge look even funnier almost 18 months after creation? Yes, I’m back for the occasional entry at the ManU blog.
