English youngsters should head to Manchester United, not City

Article by e-Manchester United's Terry Carroll

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More than 60 years ago, Sir Matt Busby instituted a policy at Manchester United that has born fruit ever since, including the 'Busby Babes' and the 'Class of 92'.

As United's Under 21s' 4-1 thrashing of their 'noisy neighbours' showed last week, that policy is still bearing fruit. And while the appointment of David Moyes was, frankly, a disaster, his successor, Louis van Gaal looks set to continue the tradition.

And with other developments in the last few days we ask ourselves 'why on earth would any English youngster want to join Manchester City instead?' Especially with the departure of Jack Rodwell and the signing of Bruno Zuculini.

The United 'project' bears rich fruit

To be fair to City, for much of the first half of the Manchester Senior Cup Final they had the majority of possession, but United's harrying meant that this was largely passing back and forth across defence. And yes, City scored first and had a few chances.

But once James Wilson had run 50 yards past five defenders to slide home the equaliser there was only going to be one winner. In the second half, coach Warren Joyce made two substitutions and a tactical change that allowed United's teamwork, talent and technical ability to play their cross-City neighbours off the park.

Wilson was born just 30 miles from Old Trafford and went on to score all four goals with finishing as clinical as Ruud van Nistelrooy. Only 18, he has already featured for the first team at the end of last season in a spectacular debut, scoring twice against Hull City.

 

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Alongside him that afternoon was 20 year old Tom Lawrence, who has already been called up for Wales against Holland. Against City last Friday he was almost unplayable, winning balls, dribbling and sliding inch perfect passes to his pal Wilson.

When you look at the United side that brushed their City counterparts aside, it contained a wealth of talent that has a genuine chance of progressing to the First Team squad. Of the 16 players selected, 11 were British and 10 English. For comparison only seven of the City players were British of which four made the starting line-up.

Is the Manchester City 'project' really working?

Three years ago, when City launched their £100 million project with a huge fanfare, they were bullish about being the 'English Barcelona', producing a conveyor belt of home-grown players. This is desperately needed having seen the national team's quadrennial abject departure from the World Cup.

As 'Elite Development' executive Patrick Vieira said in 2011 “This football club wants to give people the opportunity to play for the first team and for the national team.” With a new season approaching there is little sign of that dream being realised. And it is not only the relative lack of English players in the Under 21s.

City's stunning response to its Financial Fairplay squad restrictions was to reduce not increase the number of home-grown players. Although Frenchman Gael Clichy qualifies having been brought up by Arsenal, following the cull of five Englishman three months ago, City will only have one regular English starter for the first team this season in Joe Hart.

So most worryingly it looks like City's 'home-grown' policy will be to harvest a truckload of 11-year-olds from overseas and install them in their Elite Development facility long enough to qualify.

And for further evidence of the barren prospects for English players you need look no further than this week's transfer news from City.

When Everton sold Jack Rodwell to City there was a queue of Premier League clubs wanting his signature, including Manchester United. Last week he was sold to Sunderland where Gus Poyet will give him plenty of chances and he publicly bemoaned the wasted years at City. Asked for his advice on teenagers courted by City he said “I would say don't sign now...'

This is not surprising. When he went to City he was mooted as one of England's best young prospects and a future captain. In his time there he has mainly kicked his heels while Phil Jones and Jordan Henderson have flourished at United and Liverpool respectively.

And then as if to rub salt in the wound, Argentinian manager Manuel Pellegrini immediately signed 20 year old fellow countryman and holding midfielder Bruno Zuculini!

So last week's match against United was a wake-up call for Patrick Vieira as he watched his foreign lambs put to the sword by one of the finest young Englishmen of his generation.

While the Frenchman clearly has little faith in English home-grown talent, Warren Joyce is overseeing a small army of prospective United and England first team players.

For although Andreas Perreira and Saidi Janko look nailed on to grab a first team shirt some time soon, it was Englishmen Wilson, Lawrence, Tom Thorpe, Ben Pearson, Josh Harrop, Jack Rodwell, Calum Evans who caught the eye as United won their fourth successive Manchester Senior Cup.

Meanwhile British 'home-grown' players Reece James, Jesse Lingard, Tyler Blackett, Tom Cleverley, Darren Fletcher, Jonny Evans, Danny Welbeck, Michael and Will Keane, Ben Amos and Sam Johnstone were returning from United's all-conquering US pre-season tour.

Manchester City may well be the best team in the Premier League right now, but with a new manager and a proven track record of developing young players at Ajax, Barcelona and Munich, the future looks very bright for the current and future generation of young British talent at Old Trafford.

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