Is LVG the best coach at developing youth players in recent times?

[Rozay]

He didn't develop anyone, but he gave a lot of them chances, which is great, but I doubt that was his plan. In a perfect LVG world the 1st choice players would always play, usually regardless of form.

Basically his strategy is to play the first team as much as possible, to do that you can't really have a large squad, because back-ups don't get much playing time and they get frustrated. So the only logical option is to keep a small squad and call up some young players when senior players get injured, because young players are usually more patient and they are grateful for the time they play instead of being dissapointed of the times they don't, like the more established players.

What I think separates him from most of the managers and what I like about him is that he usually prefers a specialist instead of playing an experienced player out of position, so I guess this helps the youngsters get more games.

Unusual strategy that!

Injuries could always predicted. Long-term injuries are always a possibility. What we are seeing is his plan in the event of such occurrence. Unless we are implying that he could never have predicted these injuries, which is extremely arrogant and an insult to a manager of as much experience as him.

As for the debate of him 'developing' them - I think the work in turning 17 and 18 year olds in pros who can translate academy promise into first-team form is part of development. Not their early development, of course the likes of Joyce does great work too - but they are still in development stages when they come over to LVG. Of course, he wasn't their under 8s coach, but the likes of Joyce didn't coach them for many years either. They change coaches as they move up a level every couple of years, and Van Gaal is just the next one on their journey, and the most important one.

 

[JPRouve]

Probably. We can knock him on many things but he has given every under 21 and under 18 player a massive lift. It may cost him his job, and yes the injuries have increased the number of kids given a chance - but at the same time, we've had injury problems for a good few years.

It's not going to cost him his job, because the problem is that the players that he put in the 25 list, form a pretty poor group of senior players.

De Gea, Romero, Johnstone, Varela*, Darmian, Smalling, Jones, Rojo, Blind, Valencia, Young, Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin, Herrera, Carrick, Fellaini, Keane*, Rooney, Mata, Lingard.

The problem is with this group of players, if that group was good or coherent, he would have been in a great situation.

*He sent Keane on loan and Varela wasn't near the first team.

 

[Rozay]

That is spot on!

Think an earlier post made a great point in that he hasn't developed them per se but he has promoted them and this has been a hallmark of his teams throughout his career and he has to be given credit.

I'm not convinced at all if Mourinho had been in charge he would have promoted so many young players

Or Sir Alex in my opinion.

 

[Boycott]

Handing out debuts/first chances and developing is two different entities.

Arsene Wenger/Guardiola/Roberto Martinez/Jurgen Klopp are fine coaches. They identify qualities within a player and nurture them to improve their game allowing them the freedom to express themselves and understand their game.

Martinez develops individuals. He takes them to the next level but struggles to develop a team because in encouraging expression he lets bad habits to set in.

Pep has his structure and is adamant in it. You have to work within it and this may mean some players don't develop to their potential but it allows players to grow on the same wavelength.

Jurgen Klopp at Dortmund oversaw the development of young technical and dynamic players. That's his model but the squad he inherited at Liverpool aren't fit for purpose so he's relying on pragmatism and going game by game now. But the likes of Sturridge, Coutinho and Firmino will thrive.

Wenger's a weird one. He's nurtured Anelka, Henry, Vieria, Cole, Van Persie, Fabregas, Ramsey and his faith paid off as they hit great levels. He also saw Nasri, Hleb, Adebayor, Flamini (first time), Szcesney reach a good to great level at Arsenal but fail after. The one constant is his teams are qualifying for the CL and play good football. He's developed great players, made average players look quality but to little team success.

 

[Rozay]

It's not going to cost him his job, because the problem is that the players that he put in the 25 list, form a pretty poor group of senior players.

De Gea, Romero, Johnstone, Varela*, Darmian, Smalling, Jones, Rojo, Blind, Valencia, Young, Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin, Herrera, Carrick, Fellaini, Keane*, Rooney, Mata, Lingard.

The problem is with this group of players, if that group was good or coherent, he would have been in a great situation.

*He sent Keane on loan and Varela wasn't near the first team.

Keane went on loan as that is what he needed at that stage of his career. His spot in the pecking order went to Rashford though, who has been on the bench from early in the season. Keane is probably not good enough anyway, and didn't impress on loan (again) anyway.

As for Varela, he could have just been playing Jones (when fit) at RB, or even someone like Schneiderlein. Darren Fletcher/Owen Hargreaves played right back under Fergie before the youth were played there.

You are spot in I think in that the problem has been the quality or form of the senior players. The kids have been excellent, but Rooney not waking up until January has hurt us for example.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

Now if we want to praise Van gaal, we can say that in general he is great with young players and that it's great to have a manager who trust young players.

That's fair to say, yes.

For my part I have no qualms about praising LVG for this in general. Praising him for going for a lean squad – which means relying on inexperienced youths for backup in the event of injuries – as a managerial/tactical choice in particular, is a very different matter. And I won't praise him for that until it has actually paid off. Which it evidently has not.

As it stands, those who were worried about our backup options in both ends of the pitch have been proven right.

LVG's supporters have it easy: No matter what happens next, they can simply claim that he's “rebuilding” (disregarding what he, himself, seemingly had in mind when he took over – but nevermind that). In one sense, he can't possibly fail:

If we keep on struggling under the next manager, the possible explanations are these: The next man is an idiot for not continuing LVG's work on any number of prospects. The next man is an idiot for not bringing in the right signings on top of the foundation left by LVG. We never had the right youth quality to begin with – but LVG was nevertheless right, on principle, to give chances to all these youths.

And if we go on to be successful under the next manager – well, LVG is at least partly to be credited. Even if the next man doesn't make much use of any of the youths afforded chances under LVG, he will nevertheless benefit from the less tangible aspects of the Philosophy.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Or Sir Alex in my opinion.

Well, I'd have to say that his handling of young players towards the end of his career was apalling ...the Pogba situation being one. I don't think LVG would have let him go that easily

 

[FC Ronaldo]

The best at developing them might be stretching this instance at United but he's shown over his career that he is clearly the most willing coach to promote youth and give it a chance.

 

[Stacks]

Off the top of my head, I can't think of many better at the top end of football at least.

Fergie sort of lived off the class of 92 for much of the rest of his career I reckon. You could argue the talent wasn't there, but he'd generally play senior players out of position than just give the next left-back a go. The infamous Blackburn game is an example of this.

Van Gaal is not just doing this now, in terms of playing 17, 18, 19 year olds. He's been playing 16 and 17 year olds in Champions League finals since his Ajax days if he felt they were up to it. Also, looking back at his young players at Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern and now United - I can't think of another coach who has not just taken a chance on as many young players, but gotten as high a reward from it in terms f the quality of player he has had a hand in.

Other than perhaps if Giggs was in charge (judging by his team selection in his 4 game spell), I can't thin of any other potential United managers who would have seen the likes of Blackett, McNair, CBJ, Varela, Pereira, Lingard, Riley, Love, Rashford all start first team games, with the likes of Poole, Weir, Axel, Henderson all involved on the bench too.

The great thing too, is the majority of that lot have not let him, or themselves down either. To think that the media (who some may know that I strongly despise) ran a whole 'LVG doesn't care about youth' theme because he loaned Adnan and Wilson out looks even more ridiculous. No other manager would have trusted them as much.

How many of them did he ACTUALLY develop? You wouldn't want him as head of youth development. He would be good as chief scout, recruiter or whatever. Maybe he just doesn't give a damn and takes risks

 

[Rozay]

Handing out debuts/first chances and developing is two different entities.

Arsene Wenger/Guardiola/Roberto Martinez/Jurgen Klopp are fine coaches. They identify qualities within a player and nurture them to improve their game allowing them the freedom to express themselves and understand their game.

Martinez develops individuals. He takes them to the next level but struggles to develop a team because in encouraging expression he lets bad habits to set in.

Pep has his structure and is adamant in it. You have to work within it and this may mean some players don't develop to their potential but it allows players to grow on the same wavelength.

Jurgen Klopp at Dortmund oversaw the development of young technical and dynamic players. That's his model but the squad he inherited at Liverpool aren't fit for purpose so he's relying on pragmatism and going game by game now. But the likes of Sturridge, Coutinho and Firmino will thrive.

Wenger's a weird one. He's nurtured Anelka, Henry, Vieria, Cole, Van Persie, Fabregas, Ramsey and his faith paid off as they hit great levels. He also saw Nasri, Hleb, Adebayor, Flamini (first time), Szcesney reach a good to great level at Arsenal but fail after. The one constant is his teams are qualifying for the CL and play good football. He's developed great players, made average players look quality but to little team success.

Why would you say this doesn't apply to the work Vasn Gaal has done? I don't think the managers you mentioned would have gotten much more out of the likes of CBJ, McNair or Lingard for example. McNair has become an international under him, Lingard has too, and CBJ will probably follow if he keeps this up. The work Van Gaal did with Xavi is similar.

Also, even in older players - he has arguably developed the likes of Young and Fellaini.

 

[Oneunited26]

If by best at developing youth you mean playing them out of necessity when there's a lack of players with the squad he's left depleted, or picking obscure young players at random to rescue games in the hope he looks like a mad genius then yeah sure.

This sums it up

 

[Rozay]

How many of them did he ACTUALLY develop? You wouldn't want him as head of youth development. He would be good as chief scout, recruiter or whatever. Maybe he just doesn't give a damn and takes risks

This has popped up a few times in this thread.

What would you guys define as development? Is it a term reserved for under 12 coaches?

 

[Stacks]

Keane went on loan as that is what he needed at that stage of his career. His spot in the pecking order went to Rashford though, who has been on the bench from early in the season. Keane is probably not good enough anyway, and didn't impress on loan (again) anyway.

As for Varela, he could have just been playing Jones (when fit) at RB, or even someone like Schneiderlein. Darren Fletcher/Owen Hargreaves played right back under Fergie before the youth were played there.

You are spot in I think in that the problem has been the quality or form of the senior players. The kids have been excellent, but Rooney not waking up until January has hurt us for example.

You can't just claim XYZ can play RB. Jones is a dodgy CB, at RB hes a joke nowadays. In the limited time I've seen Varela, he should have been playing games far sooner IMHO. Schneiderlin at RB?? lol

 

[Stacks]

This has popped up a few times in this thread.

What would you guys define as development? Is it a term reserved for under 12 coaches?

Its a prosesh surely? For me it involves their integration as 1st team mainstays. Not this "I've got 14 players injured so you'll get a call up now business". When players are fit, these youngsters will be back in the under 21's faster than a one hit wonder's music career

 

[Rozay]

You can't just claim XYZ can play RB. Jones is a dodgy CB, at RB hes a joke nowadays. In the limited time I've seen Varela, he should have been playing games far sooner IMHO. Schneiderlin at RB?? lol

I'm not saying they should have played there, I'm saying they 'could' have been played there. It's the easier option. I'm sure we had academy right-backs when Fergie played the likes of Fletcher or Hargreaves there. Same at left-back with Giggs. If LVG had a similar mindset - he could have put Schneiderlein at RB and nothing much would be said about it.

 

[Boycott]

Why would you say this doesn't apply to the work Vasn Gaal has done? I don't think the managers you mentioned would have gotten much more out of the likes of CBJ, McNair or Lingard for example. McNair has become an international under him, Lingard has too, and CBJ will probably follow if he keeps this up. The work Van Gaal did with Xavi is similar.

Also, even in older players - he has arguably developed the likes of Young and Fellaini.

I don't think he's improved McNair. He's no better now than his first games (his first team games have been worse). He gave him the exposure which likely led to his call up. There's a young winger at Liverpool who barely played but got his Wales debut.

Lingard's doing well for his limited talent at this level. Fair.

Other players I've not seen visible progress in. Blokes like Valencia and Fellaini are seasoned professionals.

 

[devilish]

I think that the best person to spot talent with United remain SAF. He may have had too much of a soft spot towards his British accolades (expecially the class of 92) and he failed to acknowledge the impatience foreign youth talent may have had but his eye to talent did not diminish in time. Rossi, Pique, Pogba and Januzaj were simply extraordinary and things would have been much better if talent like Evans, Jones and the crocked twins weren't so much injury prone and we did manage to convince Bale and Ramsey to join the club

 

[Rozay]

Its a prosesh surely?

So is that prcess completed by the time they make their debuts?

Because by and large, the kids who have played under Van Gaal have done well from then on. They have probably been training with him from well before then too.

 

[JPRouve]

This has popped up a few times in this thread.

What would you guys define as development? Is it a term reserved for under 12 coaches?

No, the problem is that Van gaal hasn't been their main coach, so he isn't the one who developed them. But now that I think about it, it's a football thing, in Rugby for example the managers don't hesitate to name and praise the youth coaches, even when the players train once or twice every weeks with the first team.

 

[Stacks]

I'm not saying they should have played there, I'm saying they 'could' have been played there. It's the easier option. I'm sure we had academy right-backs when Fergie played the likes of Fletcher or Hargreaves there. Same at left-back with Giggs. If LVG had a similar mindset - he could have put Schneiderlein at RB and nothing much would be said about it.

But we have a tiny squad so that would reduce our already slim CM options no?

 

[Rozay]

I don't think he's improved McNair. He's no better now than his first games (his first team games have been worse). He gave him the exposure which likely led to his call up. There's a young winger at Liverpool who barely played but got his Wales debut.

Lingard's doing well for his limited talent at this level. Fair.

Other players I've not seen visible progress in. Blokes like Valencia and Fellaini are seasoned professionals.

I guess.

McNair has received lots of praise at different stages on this forum, although he's likely just not that good. When he started playing, many were saying he should be kept in and were quite impressed generally.

Fellaini and Young were seasoned pros, but were of no use to anybody before Van Gaal came in. Young, particularly, was developed in other areas and became very effective.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

...the Pogba situation being one.

The Pogba situation isn't clear cut from where I'm sitting.

His agent is a part of that equation, for one thing. It's not as simple as Fergie refusing to play a world beater because he preferred to dig up Scholes from a shallow grave.

 

[Parry Gallister]

Not sure how much credit he can get for their development; but he's been great at giving them chances and that seems to have always been in his thoughts (from what he's said, trimming the squad etc.)

In two seasons Varela, McNair, CBJ, Blackett, Pereira X 2, Riley, Love, Lingard, Poole, Weir, Axel, Henderson, Keane, Wilson, Janujaz (not so much), Martial, Memphis, Johnston ... playing or around the squad. That's 19 or so young players, (there has been a couple more I can't remember who've only been on the bench) the vast majority of which are academy grads.

Can't remember even Fergie using so many within such a condensed period. Of that lot I'd only say (so far) Love, McNair and Blackett have looked too callow on the whole and all three have had good moments. That's a huge achievement, especially in this day and age.

 

[Insanity]

Don't know about "recent times" but I cannot thank him enough for "developing" youth at this club.

I thank him for developing these players:

(1) Tyler Blackett
(2) Reece James
(3) Paddy McNair
(4) Michael Keane
(5) Tom Thorpe
(6) Andreas Pereira
(7) James Wilson

He has nurtured them under his watchful eye and made them all a part of our first team. Not to forgot young Anthony Martial, Luke Shaw and Memphis, bought at a mere cost of 36.67m pounds/player, peanuts in this day and age.

What a man! Love him! Absolutely loveeeeee himmmmm!

And while I am in this thankful mood, I would also like to thank Davey Moyes for developing Adnan Januzaj for us.

 

[wiz4231]

Developed? No. He's playing youngsters out of necessity rather than bringing them in as talent. If 1 not available bring in the other,he's just riding his luck with them. Most of the youth players will only be championship standards players, they may look great in a cameo appearance like Rashford did yesterday because he's unheard off and no special attention was giving to him by the opposition defenders or team tactics (they were more concerned about Depay in the box for both his goals and left him free) but in the PL he won't get that and will struggle. Him along with other, Keane, Lingard, Rashford, Riley, Varela, Weir, Rothwell will end at the lower end of the PL or in the championship, we've had the likes before Macheda, King, Campbell, Tunnicliffe, James etc.
As for Van Gaal developing youth, he's giving some of them a chance out of necessity. He's not developing them. Look at the likes of Januzaj, Wilson, Pereira, Goss these are our most talented youth players and under his management they haven't developed much at all, then you take the likes of Depay, who has all the talent and was fantastic in the Dutch league but had the life sucked out of him, told to stick to tactics and struggled. It was only yesterday that he looked to have the shackles taken off him and it allowed him to get the best out of himself. He believed in himself and regained confidence, do I credit Van Gaal with that? No, I credit Memphis and possibly Giggs, we would have seen that alot earlier from Depay had he been allowed to be more off the player he actually is rather than try to fit into Van Gaals philosophy.

 

[Insanity]

Not sure how much credit he can get for their development; but he's been great at giving them chances and that seems to have always been in his thoughts (from what he's said, trimming the squad etc.)

in two seasons Varela, McNair, CBJ, Blackett, Pereira X 2, Riley, Love, Lingard, Poole, Weir, Axel, Henderson, Keane, Wilson, Janujaz (not so much), Martial, Memphis ... playing or around the squad.

Can't remember even Fergie using so many within such a condensed period.Of that lot I'd only say (so far) Love, McNair and Blackett have looked too callow on the whole and all three have had good moments. That's a huge achievement, especially in this day and age.

If Fergie sold a lot of players and left the squad to it's bare-bone, I am sure he would have given a lot of meaningless debuts when the first teamers were injured. Fergie just wasn't that stupid.

 

[Successful]

There's a reason he's a top manager.

If Van Gaal comes up to you during training and gives some tips + good advice you'll definitely develop more than you can do with some youth coach for the next 2 years. When you're at that level you're not going to be taught much, just get the experience, training and fine tuning of your overall game. The mental part is only something that can come from special people. Van Gaal has been around for ages and these guys who are now playing in the U-teams know him as a hero.

 

[Stacks]

Don't know about "recent times" but I cannot thank him enough for "developing" youth at this club.

I thank him for developing these players:

(1) Tyler Blackett
(2) Reece James
(3) Paddy McNair
(4) Michael Keane
(5) Tom Thorpe
(6) Andreas Pereira
(7) James Wilson

He has nurtured them under his watchful eye and made them all a part of our first team. Not to forgot young Anthony Martial, Luke Shaw and Memphis, bought at a mere cost of 36.67m pounds/player, peanuts in this day and age.

What a man! Love him! Absolutely loveeeeee himmmmm!

And while I am in this thankful mood, I would also like to thank Davey Moyes for developing Adnan Januzaj for us.

I was going to comment then realised your demeanor. Actually made me laugh. Some of those players are even at the older end of the youth scale, the ideal time to be getting 1st team games yet they have been ignored for actual kids. can't get my head around that. Why loan a 21 year old out and play an 18 year old in the 1st team at premierleague and CL level. shouldn't it be the other way around?

 

[Parry Gallister]

If Fergie sold a lot of players and left the squad to it's bare-bone, I am sure he would have given some a lot of meaningless debuts when the first teamers were injured. Fergie just wasn't that stupid.

That is what he did though (alright, he sold less but they were huge players for us - Ince, Kanchelskis, Hughes). That worked out pretty well.

 

[Leftback99]

When we had less of an injury crisis a few weeks ago LVG was barely giving players like Depay a kick.

Now when he is having to play Depay because he has literally no other option he is deemed some sort of youth developing genius. Really?

 

[Insanity]

I was going to comment then realised your demeanor. Some of those players are even at the older end of the youth scale, the ideal time to be getting 1st team games yet they have been ignored for actual kids. can't get my head around that. Why loan a 21 year old out and play an 18 year old in the 1st team at premierleague and CL level. shouldn't it be the other way around?

He sold Welbeck to develop to Wilson and then loaned out Wilson to develop Rashford. Genius, I tell you.

 

[Boycott]

I guess.

McNair has received lots of praise at different stages on this forum, although he's likely just not that good. When he started playing, many were saying he should be kept in and were quite impressed generally.

Fellaini and Young were seasoned pros, but were of no use to anybody before Van Gaal came in. Young, particularly, was developed in other areas and became very effective.

He didn't develop them though. He got Fellaini and Young playing to a good level
- a level we've seen in the past but not at Utd. That's good management to get the best out of them.

Players like them, Rooney, Di Maria are at an age where their game is set. How they perform can be impacted and of couse you can improve but you can't teach them to change completely as it's out of their physical and technical framework. You can make small changes that could make a big difference

Januzaj is young enough to absorb new ideas quickly. Di Maria was not. He's built
his career on one way and had success so why on earth would you strip him of what made him good.

 

[Rozay]

No, the problem is that Van gaal hasn't been their main coach, so he isn't the one who developed them. But now that I think about it, it's a football thing, in Rugby for example the managers don't hesitate to name and praise the youth coaches, even when the players train once or twice every weeks with the first team.

Well as you intimated, I don't see anyone else praising the youth team coaches for all the great players, it is their coaches that put them in at the top level that get credit.

I also think that is fair because largely, being impressive or talented at youth level means little to nothing anyway. The coach that can extract that at the top level deserves a lot of praise, as it's a different game. It is being said as if the first-team coach can just say to these kids 'go and play right-back' and they already have all the answers.

Also, it's not as if our youth coaches presented Van Gaal with a bunch of 17 year old Messi's - by and large, these players have all exceeded our expectations in the main team. I doubt many speculators looked back a few years ago at the likes of Riley, CBJ, Varela, Rashford, Love, Lingard and whoever else and saw a group that can go on and contribute to the first-team. Despite whatever coaching Xavi received as a kid, nobody would have said it was a travesty if he didn't become a Barcelona player. He'd just be another Spanish midfielder who could control and pass the ball who was let go or didn't make it at a massive club.

 

[JPRouve]

Well as you intimated, I don't see anyone else praising the youth team coaches for all the great players, it is their coaches that put them in at the top level that get credit.

I also think that is fair because largely, being impressive or talented at youth level means little to nothing anyway. The coach that can extract that at the top level deserves a lot of praise, as it's a different game. It is being said as if the first-team coach can just say to these kids 'go and play right-back' and they already have all the answers.

Also, it's not as if our youth coaches presented Van Gaal with a bunch of 17 year old Messi's - by and large, these players have all exceeded our expectations in the main team. I doubt many speculators looked back a few years ago at the likes of Riley, CBJ, Varela, Rashford, Love, Lingard and whoever else and saw a group that can go on and contribute to the first-team. Despite whatever coaching Xavi received as a kid, nobody would have said it was a travesty if he didn't become a Barcelona player. He'd just be another Spanish midfielder who could control and pass the ball who was let go or didn't make it at a massive club.

By your logic you shouldn't praise LVG because our players did very little and being good during a handful of games means little to nothing. Also one of the problems with your logic is that it's the youth system that we criticize when we don't bring players through but it's the first team coach that we praise when the youth system develops players.

 

[devilish]

If Fergie sold a lot of players and left the squad to it's bare-bone, I am sure he would have given a lot of meaningless debuts when the first teamers were injured. Fergie just wasn't that stupid.

Erm don't bank on it. SAF sold Ince, Hughes and Kanchelskis when they pissed him off. He was lucky that his class of 92 saved his arse. Hansen was right, you do not win with kids unless those kids do something really really extraordinary

 

[Smores]

That is what he did though (alright, he sold less but they were huge players for us - Ince, Kanchelskis, Hughes). That worked out pretty well.

Fergie may have showed he wasn't afraid to do so by doing that but he also showed during the rest of his long tenure that he wouldn't rely on the youngsters unless they earned it. He was also measured in their introduction and use.

Van Gaal seems to have adopted it as a standard approach but then again not really as no injuries no youth. We're not a small club we can't afford to be that risk seeking especially during this difficult period

 

[Santiago_KinderBueno]

The feck do you lot know he isn't developing them? Just because it isn't like shweinsteiger converting from a winger to a CM does not mean he is not doing anything behind the scene.

Even something little as telling R Ashford to concentrate on running between the width of the goal was simple but useful advice that developed him in a second.

We see what LVG does 1 or 2 days a week Max. It's what he does behind the scenes that is important.

 

[Kostur]

The feck do you lot know he isn't developing them? Just because it isn't like shweinsteiger converting from a winger to a CM does not mean he is not doing anything behind the scene.

Even something little as telling R Ashford to concentrate on running between the width of the goal was simple but useful advice that developed him in a second.

We see what LVG does 1 or 2 days a week Max. It's what he does behind the scenes that is important.

And how the feck do you know he is developing them?

 

[Santiago_KinderBueno]

Fergie may have showed he wasn't afraid to do so by doing that but he also showed during the rest of his long tenure that he wouldn't rely on the youngsters unless they earned it. He was also measured in their introduction and use.

Van Gaal seems to have adopted it as a standard approach but then again not really as no injuries no youth. We're not a small club we can't afford to be that risk seeking especially during this difficult period

Mcnair , blackett, lingard, martial, shaw & memphis are all young. Whether they came from Thorpe Park or Azerbaijan makes no difference. If he was a selfish mourinho like manager he would spend more time buying players approaching their prime. Not majority youth coupled with the few odd experencied players.

Not only does he consistent ly give youth the last 10 mins of games but he also started off with a small squad that even if there wasn't injuries, just due to fatigue - kids would have played.

 

[caisenma]

when we have been playing shit with most of our team playing like in december for example, who did he turn to? the same fecking useless players. the only, absolute ONLY reason why he's playing youngsters now is because he has no choice. he deserves zero credit for this.