Today’s article comes from @bricki. You can catch more of his writings at stretford-end.com

Manchester United has always been a side that pushed youth development and looked to get local or club developed players into the side where possible. The two most successful eras in the clubs history (60s and 90s/2000s) have been built around a solid number of youth players making the grade. It’s fair to say that other than the hardcore reserve and youth team followers of Manchester United, few fans will have known about these players until the manager felt they were ready to make the step up.

Today however it is a very different story and you’d be hard pressed to find a Manchester United fan that was unaware of Ravel Morrison, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and the other players that have developed in the ranks at the club. The dawn of the social media age has led to unprecedented access and vision of players yet to fully step up to first team level. This new way of being able to tap into the youth of the club and its future is changing what fans discuss and the way younger players have now developed. Having this large amount of access and ability to view players more closely would, you imagine, be a positive for fans and the game but is it all as positive as we want it to be?

Look at the Eden Hazard situation; he has basically teased the fans of several different clubs over the last 6 months via twitter. When the transfer saga was eventually ‘resolved’ in the last few days with the tweet

“I’m signing for the Champions League winner.”

It was still not clear-cut; why not actually name a club? That tweet can be interpreted as he’s joining a team that has won the Champions League (United) or the current holders (Chelsea) but it again leaves questions and the media talking about him. Why not just name the club? By suggesting he is joining the ‘Champions League winner’ he appears to be trying to justify the move not being about money. Memo to Hazard, you had no involvement in that success.

I’ve noticed ‘shout outs’ in the last few weeks for players in the academies at United from Under 13s upwards, whilst this is something you would obviously be proud of as a player/kid – is it something we really want broadcasting to nut jobs in social media?

Social media is the new terraces for fans the world over. Fans in places like America, Asia and Africa, now have the chance to engage with other fans and more importantly the players as well. This has led to great discussions and linking up of rival fans or fans of the same club from other locations. It has also given the unstable fans a voice which is loud and has direct access to players. Abuse of players is on the rise via social media and several high-profile cases have included racist abuse. Fans have also seen players reacting to taunts and abuse they cannot react to when playing. Players such as Rio Ferdinand, Rooney and Joey Barton have all received and reacted to abuse through social media.

Twitter offers a valued insight in the life and personalities of footballers in the modern time. Many now see it as an opportunity to further push brands they are sponsored by but others are actively engaging fans to create opportunities to get closer than ever to their idols. Whilst established players are using twitter in order to reach out to their fans, the bigger concern as a viewer of the phenomenon is the use of twitter by the younger players in clubs, yet to fully reach the heights of being a ‘star’

When the fabled class of 92 emerged for United how many fans other than the avid academy/reserve watchers were aware of the potential?

Now every fan going has access to games online, the stats and write ups about the youth players and also the players themselves via twitter. Every player is now deemed the new Messiah for the club, Morrison, Pogba and Cleverley have all suffered this and in cases of Cleverley and Morrison have received abuse when things haven’t gone well. Threats for not signing contracts, daily abuse for no reason other than playing for Man United, it’s never ending for players all in the name of trying to connect with fans.

That’s not to say that players never received stick on the streets or the terraces but its easy for a ‘keyboard warrior’ to set up an account and bombard players with comments that they would never say in public. The major concern in the future appears to be the younger youth players now appearing on twitter, the under 13s/14s/15s who will be told they are the future and amazing of a one youtube video, or abused for merely being a United player rather than playing for someone else.

This access to players will not go away unless the clubs deny players the opportunity to sign up. The positives in appearing in this sort of media is obvious but the way certain areas of fans are taking the opportunity to hammer players for making the effort to connect. The bigger players may have thick skins and be able to bat it away but this may not be so easy for a younger player.

Social Media is a fantastic idea and offers lots of chances and ways to interact as fans but it appears the dark clouds are closing in on certain aspects of connecting with the players fans love.

How much longer will it last? That depends how which club is first to blink and remove players from the dangers of trying to reach out to fans.

We all fancy ourselves armchair managers or voyeurs who can predict a line-up or substitution or a transfer. We sit at home, pint in hand, and we figure that we know what’s best for our club. And a few weeks ago when the rumor mill was churning about the end of the transfer window and who would/wouldn’t be leaving their clubs, all of our eyes shifted to the rumors about our Ravel Morrison. The enigmatic player who had only made 3 League Cup appearances was suddenly the talk of the United Kingdom. The buzz about this player was a mix of the good and the bad. The best academy player since Scholes mixed with the attitude of someone like Balotelli. In his limited appearances for the club, he had become a cult legend. If he made the bench, Twitter exploded. If he made it on the pitch, Twitter imploded. The only thing that was for certain was that all Reds wanted him to come through the ranks and live up to the billing he brought with him. As of January 31^st, that door closed with the closing of the transfer window.

In the article “Morrison vs. Morrison” I wrote two weeks before the window closed, I wrote down what I felt would most likely happen. On 1/31, those hunches, and fears, were realized when he left for West Ham. People took to the Internet to vent their frustrations that we couldn’t hold on to him or to lambast him for wanting to leave. As much as it hurts to see such a talent leave our club, the one thing people shouldn’t be is surprised. His exit was in the making years ago. I was never sure how bright his star would shine, but I always feared it wouldn’t be brightest in Manchester. Morrison is a tabloid’s wet dream. I’ve been to Manchester, and as lovely as it is, the city isn’t big enough for our club and for Morrison. It was a showdown in the vein of the OK Corral. When the dust settled, there was really only one outcome and it was Morrison riding off into the sunset, destined for a life outside the city of Manchester.

People speculated where he’d go. People speculated what the fee would be. People speculated as to whether it would be a loan or a permanent deal. First, people were sure he was going to Italy. Then people were sure he’d be loaned out. People thought he might end up at City. Then we read that he was headed for the Championship on a permanent deal. Cue a wave. What I will say is that I’ve never been fickle on my thoughts about Morrison. You can see them in my articles. You can see them in my tweets. If he didn’t want to be here, then I didn’t want him here. It was that simple. I refuse to believe that you can fundamentally change who someone is. As promising as this talent was, it just wasn’t meant to be and that really shouldn’t be a shock to anyone.

The UK is a place where nothing is off-limits in the press and tabloids. So, it was really a match made in heaven. The bad boy from up north comes riding into London, baggage in tow. No doubt we’ll read about Morrison getting into an early morning fight in a bar with the hooligans on Green Street. No doubt we’ll read about a row he’s gonna have with Big Sam. No doubt we’ll read about some (and watch some) lovely goals at West Ham. The kid has raw talent, there’s no denying that. But the kid also has some raw emotions and manners. That equation never yields truly predictable results. In the end, I feel that he just wasn’t destined for United. Seems he is destined for the newspapers.

Follow me on Twitter at @JasTheDevil

I remember when I was still playing football on a regular and competitive basis. One weekend our team traveled to Olney, Maryland to play against their travel team. Here in the States, we don’t have academies, really; we have what we call “select” or “travel.” Aside from ODP (Olympic Development Program), it’s the closest we have to competitive youth football.

So, we get there and the atmosphere is pretty typical. Olney was known for being a dirty team. Even the parents were dirty – yelling at the opposing team’s kids, swearing, threatening, etc. We never ever liked playing them. From the get-go, their kids are acting like total heathens. It quickly turns into a battle. As the game got into the last few minutes, one of their players slides in studs up – from behind – and takes down our sweeper. In the heat of the moment, I chase him down, a la Wayne Rooney, and absolutely take him out. The play was dead. Everyone saw it. Ref shows me red. I knew it was coming. I storm off the pitch, more upset at how out of hand the game had gotten than actually getting the red. My coach grabs my arm, looks at me, and reprimands me for stooping to their level. I didn’t want to hear him, so I grabbed my bag and stormed off to the car to wait, a la Balotelli. He was old and he didn’t get it. He was out of touch with the game. I was 13 and that’s exactly what I was thinking at that exact moment. In that instance, I had no desire to listen to anyone. I was above it all. I was right; I was defending my player; I wasn’t going to be told otherwise. Sound familiar?

In light of everything that’s happened over the last year with players like Tevez, Balotelli, Rooney, and now Ravel Morrison; it is impossible for me to not draw parallels when hearing the rumors this past week. The biggest difference though? I WAS 13. I wasn’t a professional. I had nothing to throw away. I was never going to play for United. I wasn’t being scouted for a club team. I wasn’t even being scouted for college. In that moment, though, I felt entitled. The unfortunate parallel with our current situation is that Ravel Morrison feels like he’s entitled EVERY moment. Entitlement is one of the many problems with young players nowadays. “What are people going to give me right now?!”

You’ve heard it all week. Ravel is the best thing to come out of the academy since Paul Scholes. He’s been told he’s the next best thing for years and the boy is only 18. Think about having a little chip on your shoulder, but imagine everyone feeding that ego from the time you were 10 years old. It’s created the person that Ravel is now. He doesn’t take direction cause he just doesn’t care. He doesn’t listen to what wiser and more seasoned players/coaches tell him cause he thinks he knows better. In the end, players like Morrison – who have talent for miles – end up doing only what’s best for them. He’s with United and he’s on the biggest stage. He knows what’s being said about him and he knows that the exposure he’s getting now (negative and positive) is something he wouldn’t have seen at another club. He thinks he’s setting himself up for a payday by being at United – and that’s what he cares about.

The truth is he’ll get paid somewhere. Some team will pay the fee we agree on and he’ll go to their team and collect a check that would make people who would appreciate it grateful for it beyond words. To him though, he feels like it’s owed to him. I’ve got news for him: He hasn’t earned anything from us. He’s played in three League Cup games. He’s making more money than 99% of 18 years make. He has talent to make him millions of dollars and win lots of trophies, but he’s most likely going to sacrifice 15-20 million pound contracts years down the road for a fraction of that right now. He lacks the reasoning, idealization, and perspective to know this. He wants his and he wants it now. Someone as legendary as Fergie isn’t going to be able to change his mind. He’d respond to a younger manager who has proven he can do the job. As much as it pains me to say it, someone like Mourinho or Mancini. I GUARANTEE he looks up to Balotelli and would secretly (or, in the not-too-distant-future and not-so-secretly) love playing for City.

When it comes down to it, Ravel is the type of player who doesn’t respond to elders well. Take it from me; I was a little heathen in my day, too. He doesn’t respond to authority well. It could be his upbringing or it could just be him. What’s going to happen in the next few months is that he’ll most likely leave United for a fee we’ll most likely shake our heads at. He’ll go to a team that needs a player right now, not a team that will sit him on the bench (would probably rule City out). He’ll get a couple pounds to put in his pocket, but he’ll have sacrificed his future for his right now. Who knows if this kid will end up being great? We can’t get inside his head to figure this whole thing out. Maybe he’ll listen to sound reasoning and stay?

But like I said yesterday, the only thing stopping Ravel Morrison from being great is Ravel Morrison.

Follow me on Twitter at @JasTheDevil

Gibson has already gone... is Pogba next?

Social networks have many plusses and an equal amount of negatives, none of which I will go in to here in much detail. Personally I use Twitter as a forum to discuss many things, none more than United, with people from all over the world. But one thing is abundantly clear from using this forum, and that is the majority of ‘fans’ on there act like hormone-ravaged schoolgirls at a Justin Beiber concert when it comes to Paul Pogba and Ravel Morrison. Recent news of moves away for the two talented youngsters has sent the fan-boys and girls into melt down. The level of hysteria shown by the masses of United related tweeters have surpassed the feelings shown when Ronaldo left, when Rooney threw his wage-related paddy or when Scholes retired. The statements I have read have filled me with a plethora of emotions ranging from disgusted to embarrassed, annoyed to just down-right confused. I read calls for Fergie losing the plot because we aren’t doing enough to secure their signatures. I witnessed tweets where people have actually abused Morrison and his girlfriend because he is rumoured to be moving to Newcastle. What the hell is going on people?

Lets break this down for a minute. Paul Pogba, a player who we practically stole from Le Harve in France, who showed absolutely no loyalty to his childhood club, who isn’t even 19 years old until March of this year and has made only three senior appearances for the club. Yet we show utter surprise when he is seemingly seeking a mega amount of money for his services? Get real! Then there is Ravel Morrison, who again is not yet 19 years of age until February this year, who again has made only three senior appearances for the club, who has the chequered past of a gangster rapper and whose own teammates have (allegedly) called him a ‘lazy s*** who can’t be arsed training’. He gets linked with a move away from the club and suddenly he is like the devil incarnate. Two players, with a combined age of less than Ryan Giggs, with less first team appearances combined than Bebe, who have both been in the first team for less than six months; can you see where I’m going with this?

Sir Alex Ferguson is not a fool. You can question his morals, you can question his decision-making at times and you can question his motivation for remaining in the job this long (if you are that way inclined). You can not, however, question the mans ability as frankly it speaks for itself. Throughout his entire Manchester United career, have we ever let a player go from the youth team who has gone on to greater things? No. When Keith Gillespie went to Newcastle as part of the Andy Cole move, he was considered a good prospect but his career barely improved from that level. Gerard Pique, who played for our first time quite a bit, could be argued to fit into that category, but his move to Barcelona was down to his lack of first team chances behind Rio and Vidic. Sir Alex clearly doesn’t feel that either Pogba or Morrison are ready, deserving or talented enough for a run in the first team at this present time. And lets face facts, he’s not exactly shy about giving youth team players a chance is he? How many games did players like Luke Chadwick, Chris Eagles or Kieran Richardson get before they were moved on? Fergie gives talented youngsters every opportunity to prove themselves worthy of a run in the first team, so to me there is something going on behind the scenes that is hindering their chances. And I, for one, would wager a considerable amount of money that it is the players themselves.

So to the hysterical masses on Twitter, I say to you now, calm yourselves and have a moment of rational thought before you tweet. Maybe even have a re-read of the tweet before you click that send button, to see if you sound like a crazed stalker or a rational-minded soul. And to the many sensible fans out there who like me enjoy the banter and the discussions that take part on this kind of forum, try to avoid the crazies and seek out the like-minded fans. We are on there, we are just a minority.

Following 2 home draws against Benfica and Newcastle United, the reds looked to get back to winning ways with the visit of championship side Crystal Palace in the quarter finals of the carling cup. With rivals City and Liverpool already in the draw for the semi’s the prospect of a mouth watering tie in the next round provided all the incentive for a young United side, many of whom had plenty to prove following last years dismal exit to West Ham at the same stage. Having impressed in his brief cameo against Aldershot, starlet Ravel Morrison found himself on the subs bench, whilst the much maligned Darron Gibson was handed his first start of the season, looking to force his way back into the United reckoning.

Despite United fielding several youthful members of the squad, all had experience in the competition, and on paper seemed more than a match for a Palace side who had struggled in the league of late, with a lack of goals constantly dogging the south London side. Expectations of a United precession however were quickly evaporated, as Palace set about their task with great adventure and without fear, as Wilfrid Zaha in particular provided the spark to what was overall a very quiet first half. United struggled to find their rhythm, with Berbatov and Macheda failing to provide adequate movement up front, and allowing the Palace back four to nick the ball away with frustrating frequency. Antonio Valencia looked United’s main threat down the right hand side, with the Ecuadorian threatening to get the better of Patrick McCarthy, but was not willingly supported by a lethargic United attack.

The half time introduction of Ravel Morrison brought a buzz of anticipation around Old Trafford, but it was the visitors that lit the touch paper on what had been a dire match, as on the hour mark Darren Ambrose unleashed a stunning piledriver from 35 yards into the top corner, leaving Ben Amos stranded and Old Trafford stunned. United didn’t lick their wounds for long though, and 5 minutes later were back on terms, after Macheda was dragged down my McCarthy in the penalty area, with the Italian himself stepping up to dispatch the resulting spot kick and seemingly set up a United comeback. With Morrison pulling the strings, United probed in the final stages of the game, with the youngster coming close with a good hit from the edge of the area requiring a timely intervention from Palace keeper Price. However, a frustrating night for the reds continued as the tie went to extra time, with the Championship side showing no signs of relenting in their bid to reach the semi finals.

With an extra half an hour to find the winning goal, it was surely a matter of time before United would eventually break the stern Palace resistance and show their extra quality. However, just 8 minutes into extra time, Palace took the lead for the second time, as Ambrose’s curling cross was diverted home by Murray, sending the travelling Palace contingent into raptures, and leaving United with it all to do again. Surprisingly however, and symptomatic of what was a dire United performance, it was the visiting side who looked the more likely to increase their lead as the clock ticked down, with substitute Glenn Murray providing a handful for the United defence on the break. Aside from a final 5 minute flurry, which saw Palace defender Gardner produce 2 heroic blocks, the reds ultimately failed to do enough to merit going through, and were subjected to another shock quarter final defeat for the second season running.

Ratings

Amos – 5 Kicking was very poor throughout, looked nervous under weight of expectation.

Rafael – 6 Solid return on comeback.

Smalling – 6 Not at fault for either goals, defended well.

Evans – 6 Likewise Smalling.

Fabio – 5 Failed to last 40 minutes.

Valencia – 6 United’s greatest threat, played too narrowly at times however.

Park – 6 Failed to provide the cutting edge that United needed.

Gibson – 6 Solid performance on return to the side.

Diouf – 3 Abject and disinterested.

Berbatov – 5 Failed to get into the game, subbed at half time.

Macheda – 4 Penalty aside, performance lacked basic application.

Subs

Fryers – 5 Few wobbles, not as assured as Leed’s performance.

Morrison – 7 Bright movement and always demanding the ball.

Pogba – 6 Showed good versatility by playing centre back.

Chudi of thebusbyway.com and myself of thebusbyboys.com discuss the 25th anniversary of Sir Alex Ferguson taking over at Manchester United, as well as preview the trip to Swansea on Saturday and the Champions League fixture versus Benfica on Tuesday. The usual blend of banter and insight.

After the disastrous Manchester derby, United returned to action with a trip to Aldershot in the Carling cup, and a good opportunity to get back to winning ways before the difficult game versus Everton at the weekend. Having beaten Leeds United in the previous round, Fergie opted for a similar line up, with Michael Owen and Dimitar Berbatov leading the line for the reds, both with intentions of forcing their way back into the first team reckoning. Tom Cleverley and Nemanja Vidic returned from injury to give United a further boost ahead of the weekend, and with prodigal talents Paul Pogba and Ravel Morrison on the bench, there was plenty to keep the United faithful entertained.

With United looking to set the record straight, the reds began brightly with some tidy passing, and good movement as the re introduction of Tom Cleverley looked to re invigorate what had been a recently inept midfield. Vidic looked to be still shaking off some cob webs after his early season injury, and was quickly in the book for a very late lunge on Aldershot striker Rodman. It was  a brief soiree into the United half however, and soon it was the reds cutting edge which proved decisive in giving them an early lead on 15 minutes, as some superb link up play between Cleverley, Park and Berbatov allowed the Bulgarian time to turn and finish with his left foot. Most assumed United would go on to accumulate a convincing victory, however, credit must be given to the shots who responded magnificently to going a goal behind and enjoyed their best spell of the game. Cruelly for the home side, United again proved their class just before half time, as Berbatov, seemingly playing his way back into the reckoning, produced a wonderful assist for Owen who made no mistake from 7 yards out, finishing Aldershot’s realistic chance of getting back into the tie.

Having all but guaranteed their passage into the next round, the question on most United’s fans lips was when would we see Morrison and Pogba the two mercurial talents which have got many people eulogizing about legends of the past. Antonio Valencia however had other ideas, and scored an early contender for goal of the season with just 3 minutes of the second half gone, smashing in a 30 yard rocket into the top corner giving him a much needed confidence boost after a somewhat unconvincing start to the season. Dimitar Berbatov nearly made it 4 with a wonderful solo effort, charging down the left wing, before deceiving two Aldershot defenders with a deft Cruyff turn, only to disappointingly scuff his shot wide. Pogba got his chance on the hour mark, replacing Cleverley and immediately displaying the qualities he possesses, showing athleticism, and a natural instinct in terms of positioning and simple passing. A relatively quiet final 20 minutes were brightened up by the addition of Morrison, who arguably the greater of the two talents, produced glimpses of why many are so keen to put his personal problems to one side, with a cameo containing flicks, skills and movement which show he has a bright future if he wants it. United closed out the game with ease as Aldershot legs began to tire, and make their way into a minefield of a quarter final draw, with all the ‘big boys’ still in the competition.

Ratings

Amos – 6 Very little to do, fantastic save at the death.

Fabio – 6 Steady performance, enjoyed going forward.

Jones – 6 Comfortable night.

Vidic – 6 Clumsy yellow, but grew as the game progressed.

Fryers – 7 Possible challenge for Evra in the coming years.

Valencia – 7 Wonderfully taken goal.

Cleverley – 7 Only took an hour to show what we have been missing.

Park – 7 Good runs on the ball and worked the opening goal well.

Diouf – 5 Struggled out of position.

Berbatov – 8 MOTM Surely played himself into at least a bench position on saturday.

Owen – 7 Carling cup specialist for United.

Subs

Pogba – 6 Neat passing and good awareness.

Morrison – 6 Wonderful, yet brief cameo. Hope to see more in future weeks.

Keane – 5 Calm debut for United.

Everyone knows the amazing story of United’s 1992 FA Youth Cup winning team. The team which consisted of six players that became full internationals for their respective countries. The more important figure, in my opinion, is that ten of the starting XI of that team went on to represent United in the first team. Not all of them made it in the first team, but they all got their shot (bar one). Roll on nineteen years and the United Academy stand on the brink of another FA Youth Cup final, this time against a tough Sheffield United side. On the way to the final, United have taken down two of the toughest teams in the country in Liverpool and Chelsea, last years champions. Comparisons to the infamous team of  ’92 started almost as soon as Liverpool had been dispatched from the competition. So are we really on the brink of another golden generation?

Well Gary Neville certainly thinks so. Whilst commentating on the second leg of the Chelsea tie for MUTV, G-Nev stated that this was the best youth team he has seen during his time at Old Trafford. Not bad from someone who has always coveted youth football during his days as a player. Personally I believe that with a little bit of luck, this group of players could produce three or four players who have long-term careers at Old Trafford. I also believe that the majority of the them will go on to have long-term careers in football, maybe not at Old Trafford, but certainly elsewhere.

The player that stands out most for me is Paul Pogba. The lad looks like a man amongst boys in the majority of games I have seen him play in this season. He is solid on the ball and never looks like he is going to lose it, even when teams double up on him. He has natural ability and has drawn many comparisons to Patrick Veira back in his homeland. Barring major injury, major personal problems or a desire to move back to France, Pogba should make the first team in the very near future. The other standout for me is Ravel Morrison. Much has already been said about this insanely talented teenager and our very own CartelMike said it best in his piece about Pogba and Morrison. If the lad can control his private life and realise that his gift should be utilised rather than squandered, he will surely be a major player in years to come. The final player I believe could make it is Ryan Tunnicliffe. This combative midfielder is the perfect foil to Pogba’s calm, natural game. Tunnicliffe reminds me of a cross between Bryan Robson and Roy Keane, he can tackle, he can pass, he can shoot and he has the engine of a pedigree race horse. If he continues to develop then I see no reason why the United midfield pairing in four or five years won’t read Pogba and Tunnicliffe.

There are other players who I believe could make it with the help of lady luck. There is flying Dutch winger, Gyliano Van Velzen, who like most Ajax academy youngsters, has incredible technique; Strikers Will Keane and John Cofie, who have both proven they have an eye for goal; Captain and centre back Tom Thorpe, who has shown composure and leadership skills all season; Keeper Sam Johnstone, who at 18 years old and 6ft 4in, is an imposing and talented goalie; and finally fullback and twin brother of Will, Michael Keane, a decent defender and good crosser of the ball. If they get the right loan moves, continue to develop and get the sprinkling of luck that every talented youth needs, I don’t see why they can’t make it either.

Of course, no one can be certain if the talent of youth can progress into what is needed to be a professional footballer at a club like Manchester United. This is of course partly down to the player taking the right opportunities, partly down to luck with injuries and partly down to the manager having the faith to give them a chance. With Fergie, we know if the talent is there they will get their shot. Will our next manager think in the same way or will they focus more on buying established players? Hopefully they will know enough about the history of the club and give the youth at the club the same chances they have gotten throughout history. The one thing you can predict though is that this is certainly our best chance at producing a team for the future we have seen since that fabled class of 1992.

We’re approaching our traditional squeaky bum time. Late March inevitably means scrapping for League points and the sharp end of the Champions League. This weekend has seen United steal a traditional late winner a la Steve Bruce or Federico Macheda. Its all looking promising that number 19 will indeed be delivered. Fraught opinion on Carrick’s form, Scholes’ retirement and future signings speculation are abundant.

But this weekend, along with the weekend previous, also saw yet another example of why our future is rosy.

I’m a firm believer in the Green & Gold campaign. I don’t want the Glazers at our club. I’ve not been to an OT game since the Champions League semi final against Arsenal. I refuse to line their pockets, but one thing i cant live without is my subscription to MUTV. And this subscription isn’t to listen to the Pravda style rantings of Paddy Crerand, but the chance to see the kids play. Every weekend.

Since MUTV began screening youth games in the late 90′s its been nothing but a pleasure to watch the youthful exuberance on a Saturday morning. I genuinely get as much pleasure out of watching them as i do the first team. Sometimes a lot more. And for those steadfastly refusing to spend a fiver a month on MUTV, its the best fiver you’ll spend as a United fan.  I love proclaiming I’VE SEEN THE FUTURE when a youngster begins to dazzle. And i’m happy to admit i’ve been burnt a few times when ranting at friends who follow other teams that Giuseppe Rossi and Fabian Brandy will become United legends. I’ve not always got it right clearly… I’m now more aware of what it takes to be a Darren Fletcher and not a Chris Eagles. Talent is one thing, application, stamina and belief is an entirely different thing.

Which brings me back on topic.

This weekend, and the weekend previous, saw our two brightest youth hopes step up yet another level.

Firstly, Ravel Morrison was a two goal man of the match last weekend at Anfield in the Youth Cup, and the weekend before that had an extraordinarily good game against the Blackburn U-18′s. I don’t want to rake over the troubles Ravel Morrison has outside of the game, others can moralise over that. What i want to talk about is his form since coming back into the team (post court case). He is a game changer. He has the kind of talent you see very rarely in this country. He is part Giggs part Gascoigne. He has the ability to make the ball glue to his feet, and can couple that with a turn and shoot to rival anyone. He has that lovely look of someone who finds controlling a football naturally easy. And importantly to us, at this time, he could easily be both heir apparent to Giggs & Scholes. Pressure, yes. Can he take it ? We don’t know yet. What i do know is that i’d rather have him in the squad than Bebe or Obertan.
Ravel is 18 years old now. Rafael and Fabio both had their debuts having just turned 18 and have not looked back. Fergie will have no qualms about age when throwing in young talents. And this boy has talent.

Paul Pogba is a different beast.
Again, i’ll leave the Le Havre poaching accusations to others, but the fact is he is now ours and we should cherish him.
This boy is a monster. Physically imposing already, he takes the centre of midfield by the scruff of its neck and dictates the play around him. Its all too easy to liken him to Patrick Vieira but the similarities are there. Telescopic tackling legs. Bursts of pace and power. Leadership qualities in abundance.
These are in stark contrast to the easy barbs aimed at Carrick and Gibson this season.
What Pogba also has is an eye for goal. He’s hit some absolute stunners this season. And none more stunning than this very weekend against Derby. In fact watching this last night had me shouting at the screen. This boy absolutely must play a part in the first team next season.

and he has a habit of scoring stunners

I’ll probably get some grief for this post.
Too early to hype them.
We’ve seen youth talent fail to make the grade before.
We want experienced big money signings like Wesley Sneijder

And probably the fairest point of all is that its difficult to blood youngsters in the positions that REALLY matter (ie, its easier to being in youngsters at full back), but Gibson has had his chance, Bebe and Obertan too. And in the same way that Hernandez has grabbed his with both hands, i fully expect Ravel and Paul to do the same. I’d pencil them both in the squad 25 for next season right now.

Yes im happy to put my neck on the block again. Its worth thinking the next time United fans clamour for mega signings. We dont buy superstars at this club, we make them.
Welcome Paul and Ravel, your time has come.