28 Aug 2014 15:11:03
We all seem (me more than most) to have become fixated on formations, tactics, signings, ownership, and managers over the last year. But not many people have addressed the big elephant in the room: the fact that Manchester United are failing miserably in improving the players we are signing and bring through the youth academy.

The club's philosophy is supposedly to bring in young players and develop them into top quality players; Manchester United don't buy stars, we make them. But how many players over the last seven or so years have we actually improved. Look at the players in our squad: Jones, Smalling, Rafael, Hernandez, Welbeck, Cleverly, Zaha, Powell, and even Anderson. All of these players were deemed to be promising prospects when we signed them, or when they were in the youth ranks. Yet, not a single one has come close to reaching their potential. Add to that the likes of Nani, Fabio, Henrique, Macheda, Tosic, Varela, Buttner, Diouf and Bebe, and we have a massive list of young players who joined the club and did not improve as players in any significant way.

It's obvious that some of this is down to individual factors like injuries (Rafael), attitude (Zaha) and over estimating potential (Bebe). Nevertheless, the club is having a massive problem in transforming potential into genuine quality. As Scholes said, none of the young lads were pushing him out of the team in his mid-thirties, and that was very worrying to him at least. Put aside the lack of investment and managerial shake ups over the last year: there is simply no reason why young players at a club like United shouldn't be improving the important aspects of their game. The fact that so few of our young players are demonstrating and discernible difference in the standard of their play after spending significant time in the first team hints at a big problem in our training methods.

Moyes, to his credit, tried to change the training set up, and I'm sure van Gaal is doing the same. But I think we can safely say that SAF took his eye off the ball during his last few years at the helm and we are paying for it now. But until their is a wholesale shift in training 'philosophy' and attitudes toward young players' development at the club, our longterm stability will always be in danger. Van Gaal, at least, has started integrating the young lads to a greater extent in the first team, but I hope he is starting to rip up the rotting foundations too because our development of young talent has frankly been shocking for a long time now.

1.) 28 Aug 2014
28 Aug 2014 15:48:12
Fergie really took his eye of the ball he only won the league twice in his last 3 years, disgraceful.

He did what was best for the club while he was there and probably thought anybody taking over would do the same.

2.) 28 Aug 2014
Great post Danny.

I am sure this was one of the big sells of LVG, but obviously it will take a fair few years to see if his ideas work. I am confident he knows what he is doing with youth development, the Dutch as quality at it. There are lots of problems at the moment, we seem to be constantly putting out fires. I hope we prioritise our focus.

I think I recall LVG saying he is starting with the first team as it is the most vital, but his plan is to restructure the whole set-up in a few years.

3.) 28 Aug 2014
28 Aug 2014 16:09:16
Great post. I think we were spoilt by the class of 92, and it lulled everyone into thinking this whole youth thing was a piece of p1ss.

Nothing short of disgraceful how few players have come through since, for a club with our ethos, and how many have failed to live up to their potential.

4.) 28 Aug 2014
28 Aug 2014 16:09:55
Januzaj, Pogba?

5.) 28 Aug 2014
We have produced a hell of a lot of players its just most don't make the grade for our 1st team which isn't surprising as we want the best of the best but it's not like our youth players get to 18 then become builders they all go on to have careers in the game some of the problem is mental attitude and whether they can take the pressure of playing for a major club

6.) 28 Aug 2014
28 Aug 2014 16:37:34
Danny mate you've just hit a bullseye. Personally it is this issue that I think van Gaal is referring to when he speaks about a new philosophy, and the work they are trying to do and the time it will take to achieve it.

As to why we seemingly was unable to improve the young players we have had over the last few years I think are many and varying.

Injury has played its part and the attitude of some players has also held some back. Another issue I feel is a lack of quality in the team pushing the youngsters to improve to get game time, I think some have far too easily got into the team. Rafael for example hasn't had any competition for his place since Neville left. So what is forcing him to work on his game and improve? I also think a focus was taken away from the improvement of youngster by the glare of silverware and the importance of winning it. Personally I think over the last 4-7 years too much focus was put on winning things rather than improving our players. By that I mean all training and preparation was focused on winning the next game and none left to improving and challenging our players. You start to regress the moment you stop trying to improve.

We all marvelled at Sir Alex's pure will to win but it may have been detrimental to the development of some of our players and their ability to improve.
Personally I think Ronaldo leaving had an effect on Sir Alex, Since then you could argue that none of our players have significantly improved, did the hurt of Ronaldo wanting to move on have an impact on Sir Alex? Maybe, we'll never really know.

Either way the club needs to return to our roots, Sir Matt's success was built on bringing through and improving young players, as was Sir Alex's, van Gaal has made a career out of it also and as such he is probably the right man to refocus the club on what is important to this club. All our success has come from it and if we are to continue to have success then we need to stick with what we do best.

7.) 28 Aug 2014
28 Aug 2014 16:43:37
Ok, TOT66, 2 in 20 years. That's some going for a club with our coaches and facilities.

8.) 28 Aug 2014
Mata, SAF won two titles with a ageing squad on its last legs while failing to ensure that the young lads coming through we're good enough. It's a great achievement for him, but he went out on a high without providing enough quality fir his replacement.

Tot, I'm not sure if there is a major problem with the youth academy. We seem to be capable of cultivating raw potential, but this potential isn't making the transition to a top quality end product. Pogba moved to Juve before he made his mark. As for Januzaj, he still looks as raw this year as he did at the start of last, fantastic talent but little consistency.

9.) 28 Aug 2014
As much as it is about developing the 14-20 year olds. Its ensuring the 20-24 years are improving, our players have gone backwards in that category. Janujaz hasn't done anything yet, lots of ability, but our record of developing talent in the past 10 years is limited to one player of note in that age range.

10.) 28 Aug 2014
I watch as many u18 and u21 games as I can and we have a nucleus of about 4or5 top class prospects in both groups.will they make it who knows no matter which club only a very few exceptional talents make it to the top.as others have said have a look at how many ex utd academy players are spread through all the divisions you will be amazed at how many there is.fergie did a good job at utd but don't forget his stubborness to address the midfield problem over the last of his 3 years which I personally believe was because we didn't have the cash.and never forget his spat with the 2 irish lads which should never of been utd related as it was all about greed but it ultimately let the glazers in the door.

11.) 28 Aug 2014
Danny

Great post mate. watching Tuesday might brought home how far we have slipped in terms of our youth set up. To make matters worse, SAF got obsessed with youth in recent years and other than berna and RVP, didn't seem to want to sign established stars. Surely the way to go is a mixture of both. His endless no value in the market quote became a tad tiresome when City and Chelsea were hoovering up top talent.