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Stuart Mathieson
BRIAN McClair insists that the spectre of the Class of '92 is not an albatross around his neck as he prepares for his debut campaign as United's Academy chief.
In a year when United have launched the celebration of the Busby Babes and the Reds' accent on youth, the Scot has been charged with the task of continuing to produce home-bred youngsters for Old Trafford. On the face of it, the challenge is a daunting one.
For a start there is the history. United have won the FA Youth Cup a record nine times and players like Duncan Edwards, Bobby Charlton, George Best, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes - to name but a few - have been nurtured in the famous talent producing system.
Sir Alex Ferguson now has more money at his disposal to provide instant transfer remedies than in the late 1980s, when he revamped the Reds youth system in order to crank up a conveyor belt that had been allowed to go rusty.
The global market for young footballers has widened and Fergie has recognised that.
Late teenagers in the Reds ranks could be as likely to come from Sao Paolo as Salford, or Buenos Aires as Burnage and the squeeze would appear to be on for the local boys.
McClair, known as Choccy in his playing days, has been shadowing previous Academy chief Les Kershaw for 12 months as the latter prepared for semi-retirement.
But he still believes that, no matter the make-up of United's youth ranks, it continues to be a fruitful set-up - providing gems for Sir Alex and future bosses .
"I am looking forward to the challenge," Brian told M.E.N. Sport.
Albatross
"The Class of '92 isn't an albatross. It isn't impossible to do it again. Spaces opened up for those boys, and if you get the right players it can happen again. You just never know.
"The club is in a totally different situation now. But the manager has never wavered in his support for the Academy and the production of young players. We are passionate about it at this club.
"The manager wants us to scout globally as well. Although the kids couldn't join us at 16 years of age, there is a wealth of ability out there in places like Brazil, Argentina and Africa that he wants us to tap into. And of course there are the Europeans.
"But, understandably, United fans like to see the local boys rise to the top as well. They have been brought up on that.
"Bringing local talent through is what United has always been about, and it will continue.
"We want the boys from Manchester to get through as well. Danny Simpson from Salford is out in South Africa on the first team pre-season tour and is doing well. Phil Bardsley is another.
"While things have changed with recruitment, there will always be young local talent making it. I don't think it is any harder now for them than before, despite how things have evolved in the Academy.
"But when you talk about local boys, it encompasses those who might not necessarily have been born locally but have been brought through the ranks from a very young age at Old Trafford.
Senior
"Thus, I think United fans also have pride in the likes of Giuseppe Rossi and Gerard Pique coming through the ranks to the senior side."
McClair has still Kershaw on his staff on a part-time basis, with Paul McGuinness, Tony Whelan, Mark Dempsey, Eamonn Malvey and Mike Glennie backing him up.
"Les assembled a fantastic staff who work extremely well together," added McClair. "They believe totally in the philosophies of the club and what we are trying to achieve in the Academy.
"We have lost Rene Meulensteen to Brondby, where he has become their manager, but he left a very nice legacy.
"He tutored Mark Dempsey and Eamonn Malvey so they can continue the system.
"Les's background was scouting, and he did a lot of that when he was in charge. But I want to be hands on and take part in sessions. I want to be out there on the field. It is there you get the understanding of the young players.
"You can never tell how young kids are going to develop. One day you can think they have done something fantastic, and the next you give them something to do and you begin to wonder.
"But we think, in United's Academy, that things are going well. I want to continue that."
***
Good read. A few more like Pique and Rossi would be good.
Stuart Mathieson
BRIAN McClair insists that the spectre of the Class of '92 is not an albatross around his neck as he prepares for his debut campaign as United's Academy chief.
In a year when United have launched the celebration of the Busby Babes and the Reds' accent on youth, the Scot has been charged with the task of continuing to produce home-bred youngsters for Old Trafford. On the face of it, the challenge is a daunting one.
For a start there is the history. United have won the FA Youth Cup a record nine times and players like Duncan Edwards, Bobby Charlton, George Best, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes - to name but a few - have been nurtured in the famous talent producing system.
Sir Alex Ferguson now has more money at his disposal to provide instant transfer remedies than in the late 1980s, when he revamped the Reds youth system in order to crank up a conveyor belt that had been allowed to go rusty.
The global market for young footballers has widened and Fergie has recognised that.
Late teenagers in the Reds ranks could be as likely to come from Sao Paolo as Salford, or Buenos Aires as Burnage and the squeeze would appear to be on for the local boys.
McClair, known as Choccy in his playing days, has been shadowing previous Academy chief Les Kershaw for 12 months as the latter prepared for semi-retirement.
But he still believes that, no matter the make-up of United's youth ranks, it continues to be a fruitful set-up - providing gems for Sir Alex and future bosses .
"I am looking forward to the challenge," Brian told M.E.N. Sport.
Albatross
"The Class of '92 isn't an albatross. It isn't impossible to do it again. Spaces opened up for those boys, and if you get the right players it can happen again. You just never know.
"The club is in a totally different situation now. But the manager has never wavered in his support for the Academy and the production of young players. We are passionate about it at this club.
"The manager wants us to scout globally as well. Although the kids couldn't join us at 16 years of age, there is a wealth of ability out there in places like Brazil, Argentina and Africa that he wants us to tap into. And of course there are the Europeans.
"But, understandably, United fans like to see the local boys rise to the top as well. They have been brought up on that.
"Bringing local talent through is what United has always been about, and it will continue.
"We want the boys from Manchester to get through as well. Danny Simpson from Salford is out in South Africa on the first team pre-season tour and is doing well. Phil Bardsley is another.
"While things have changed with recruitment, there will always be young local talent making it. I don't think it is any harder now for them than before, despite how things have evolved in the Academy.
"But when you talk about local boys, it encompasses those who might not necessarily have been born locally but have been brought through the ranks from a very young age at Old Trafford.
Senior
"Thus, I think United fans also have pride in the likes of Giuseppe Rossi and Gerard Pique coming through the ranks to the senior side."
McClair has still Kershaw on his staff on a part-time basis, with Paul McGuinness, Tony Whelan, Mark Dempsey, Eamonn Malvey and Mike Glennie backing him up.
"Les assembled a fantastic staff who work extremely well together," added McClair. "They believe totally in the philosophies of the club and what we are trying to achieve in the Academy.
"We have lost Rene Meulensteen to Brondby, where he has become their manager, but he left a very nice legacy.
"He tutored Mark Dempsey and Eamonn Malvey so they can continue the system.
"Les's background was scouting, and he did a lot of that when he was in charge. But I want to be hands on and take part in sessions. I want to be out there on the field. It is there you get the understanding of the young players.
"You can never tell how young kids are going to develop. One day you can think they have done something fantastic, and the next you give them something to do and you begin to wonder.
"But we think, in United's Academy, that things are going well. I want to continue that."
***
Good read. A few more like Pique and Rossi would be good.