In recent years and in the near future Chelsea will probably be producing more top flight players than us. Their depth at academy level is ridiculous so their sheer numbers compared to us is way more. While we tend to just focus on a few top talents and then it goes downhill pretty fast after them.
Miscellaneous Reserve/Youth News
- Thread starter Cevno
- Start date
This is the key word in your post.
I don't think Senior is associated with the club anymore, doubt the academy will be happy with this.
It's a dick move then. Puts unnecessary spotlight.
The guy you're debating with is actually a youth scout in Holland for a Premier League club. Not gonna say what club because I'm sure he will if he wanted to but yeah
Cool, thanks for the info. I guess that explains why he was so upset about my not seeing Chong as good enough for the first team. (he isn't)
It also explained his weird comment that you need to have watched youth football around the world to have a valid opinion. It's still a ridiculous comment but it at least explains why he wanted to pull things in that direction. So that he could claim default correctness without having to make an argument.
I actually read through some of the guys old posts at the time to figure out why held held such a high opinion of himself. It certainly wasn't due to his ability to predict which players would make the first team at united.
Either way, thanks for the info.
Great let's chat. Who said I hadn't seen academy football? I said I hadn't seen it around the world. Why is that a prerequisite for an opinion? Barring scouts, who even travels the world watching youth football? Are you suggesting youth scouts who travel the world are the only people who can watch a game and tell which players are better than others? Are you saying people can't look at a 16,17, 18 year old and make an assessment on how good they become based on their visible attributes and performances in games. That's daft.
Without wanting to justify myself yet feeling I have to I can honestly say I've very rarely been wrong over the years when it's come to figuring out with U18s and reserves will actually make it or at least have a chance. Ravel, Januzaj and McTomminay are probably the only ones who have genuinely surprised me in how they've turned out. I've generally been able to tell closely enough what league pretty much every player who has been good enough for me to watch closely would end up playing in. There's probably loads of posts on here of me saying players like Josh King would end up in the premier league or which of the Keane brothers would be the better player or how much little Jesse Lingard might surprise people if he gets a bit bigger etc. You'd see much fewer posts from me about the Daehlis or Eikrems for example. And none about Aidan Barlow who would be knocking on the first team door at this stage according to you.
My point is not about any individual players though. It's that you don't have to travel around watching youth tournaments to make these distinctions. So it's a daft way to try and shut down an argument. I'd much rather have an honest respectful discussion than be talked down to by someone who doesn't know anything about me. So with that said, how about you tell me what about that post you responded to proves I know nothing about football. I responded to a poster who was wondering why none of the kids had made any real measurable impact on the first team. By the sound of things he'd been led to believe they were all ready to take the first team by storm and improve the team. I've been less optimistic about their ability to make a huge difference right now for various reasons.
I said Chong was a very average footballer. In terms of being a senior United player (which is the exact context we were speaking in) right now he is a very average footballer. Do I think he's a decent U19 player? Yes. He's got some interesting attributes. He's got lovely pace, balance and energy, he's really direct, he can see a pass when he calms himself down a bit. He's one of the players I've watched with interest since he came back from his injury and I was impressed with how he recovered and pushed himself on from it. But right now he clearly has some weaknesses that need to improve before he'll be someone who will be useful in the first team. He needs to get stronger and calm down a lot. I predicted several times on here when people were clamouring for him to start in the first team that if he did play they could expect him to run into trouble a lot, lose the ball consistently, make bad decisions and get bullied by stronger players. That's generally exactly what's happened and exactly what would happen again if he was picked for the next game against Watford. Because right now his game isn't really ready to play at that level. Right now when it comes to the standards required for first team football Chong is a very average player. If he was 25 people would be comparing him with Obertan. However he's a 19 year old who lost a year to injury and still needs to fill out so we will reserve judgement on his future for now. The next couple of years will tell a lot. I believe I'm spot on when it comes to his present level though.
I didn't even really comment on Gomes. I said Garner is a 17 year old kid who only played 3 minutes. That's true. Is there something wrong about stating a fact?
As for Mason I said he merits the hype. Do you disagree with that also?
Last edited:
@khoazany when can we expect your thread for academy squad for next season?
I have some questions regarding contracts:
- Has Bernard signed a professional deal with United ? I can't find any announcement but perhaps I haven't been looking in the right place. The fact that he is getting starts at U23 level suggests that he must have.
- When United announce that a non-star type player such as Tanner, McGhee, Mellor, Galbraith etc has signed their first professional contract, how many years will that deal tend to be for ?
- Do any of Buffonge, Warren, Olosunde, Whelan, Sang, Dearnley, Gribbin, Hamilton, Willock, Bohui have contracts that last beyond this summer ? I know United have +1 year options on James Wilson and Regan Poole, should they wish to keep them.
- I seem to recall that Indy Boonen, Whelan, Hamilton and Dearnley all had offers from United around May/June time last year. Are there any current players aged 19 (or about to turn 19) whose deals end this summer ? I suppose this question is related to my earlier 2nd question.
Thanks in advance.
- Has Bernard signed a professional deal with United ? I can't find any announcement but perhaps I haven't been looking in the right place. The fact that he is getting starts at U23 level suggests that he must have.
- When United announce that a non-star type player such as Tanner, McGhee, Mellor, Galbraith etc has signed their first professional contract, how many years will that deal tend to be for ?
- Do any of Buffonge, Warren, Olosunde, Whelan, Sang, Dearnley, Gribbin, Hamilton, Willock, Bohui have contracts that last beyond this summer ? I know United have +1 year options on James Wilson and Regan Poole, should they wish to keep them.
- I seem to recall that Indy Boonen, Whelan, Hamilton and Dearnley all had offers from United around May/June time last year. Are there any current players aged 19 (or about to turn 19) whose deals end this summer ? I suppose this question is related to my earlier 2nd question.
Thanks in advance.
Last edited:
Pretty much agree with you
Greenwood and Garner look mature in the way they play football - Gomes and especially Chong, don't. But they are all very talented and every one of them could go on to be regulars in the P.L. But at the moment, I rate Garner and Greenwood at least one level ahead of the other 2
Gomes is such a hard one to nail down. Loads of nice little touches, reverse passes etc. He's very entertaining to watch when on his game. There's clearly bags of talent there but he doesnt impose himself enough on games. His lack of size or speed is an issue despite what people would have you think. His game isnt expansive either, he seems to lack the natural power to pass it over longer ranges or to shoot effectively at senior level. I cant even figure out what a good loan for him would be. Couldn't see a PL team feeling hes worth the risk.
My hope for Chong is that as he gets stronger some of the rough edges come off his game. Being able to hold players off and have better control of his body might make him more effective. His pace and balance are great attributes. If forced to bet on it I'd say he wont make it here though.
I like Garner but need to see more of him. Greenwood is a baller and will make it here.
What's the story with Ben Woods ?
Remember him being highly rated, selected for England u15 a year earlier than the norm, yet he's been released
Just scored for Burnley u23 as a 16 year old !
Remember him being highly rated, selected for England u15 a year earlier than the norm, yet he's been released
Just scored for Burnley u23 as a 16 year old !
Another lad we released was banging them in for the u18/23s of Blackburn or Burnley or something in the past couple years. What was his name again? Wonder if he ended up breaking through at whatever club it was.
Possibly Ben Brereton? He gained a reputation for himself over the last couple of seasons, he played for us briefly and is currently at Blackburn having previously played for Forest.
Dwight McNeil, 16 appearances for Burnley this year scoring 3 goals.
Possibly means Daniel Butterworth.
https://www.whoscored.com/Players/357427/Show/Dwight-McNeil
He’s done brilliantly since he broke through.
Anybody got an info on Junior Kwontaa, recent signing or trialist ?
It's Nkwonta, he's a defender who joined last season & was on the Asian tour with the u16s during the summer
Cheers @jb8521 - Kwontaa stumped Google, it didn't even offer a "do you mean *******
He’s also not very good.
No problemCheers @jb8521 - Kwontaa stumped Google, it didn't even offer a "do you mean *******
Don't tell me, is he just big, athletic and nothing much else ?
The guy named after Zidane is probably more proud than the guy who was named after Ameobi
The guy named after Zidane is probably more proud than the guy who was named after Ameobi
And probably less embarrassed as well, it may well be unisex but until he came on the scene in the early noughties I'd always thought of Shola as being a girls name, maybe he should have stuck with Foluwashola Ameobi just to be on the safe side.
The guy named after Zidane is probably more proud than the guy who was named after Ameobi
I think Shola means 'The Blessed One' and the way he's been progressing this season, he's living up to it, so fingers crossed he keeps pushing all the way up to the first team.
A United scout watched Leicester U18s vs Brighton U18s recently. A few gems on both sides, including Leicester's Terell Pennant. He's a regular in the U18s despite still being an U16. He's the nephew of former Liverpool winger, Jermaine. Could be one to keep a close eye on in the future. Terell has previously been linked with a move to Arsenal so I wouldn't be surprised if United were also interested.
More info here: https://foxeshub.com/manchester-united-scout-watches-leicester-under-18s/
More info here: https://foxeshub.com/manchester-united-scout-watches-leicester-under-18s/
Some of next years intake for the 18s, can anybody put names to faces, Dodgson is there(front left), and i'd imagine that its Zidane Iqbal(centre), other that that i'd be guessing....
From the left it's Owen Dodgson, Charlie Savage, Calen Gallagher-Allison, Dermot Mee, Zidan Iqbal, Will Fish, Charlie Wellens, Alfie Hughes, Iestyn Hughes. As far as I know Mipo Odubeko, Deji Sotona, Martin Svidersky & Noam Emeran have scholarships as well but not there for some reason
No problem
Not sure if this belongs in here, Nicky Butt's been arrested today on suspicion of assault.
Well that is sad. Hope his family are alright.
First year scholars for next season, from what I can gather the ones to watch are Charlie Savage (who I think is Robbie Savage's son), Deji Sotona, Mipo Odubeko, Martin Svidersky and there was quite a bit of hype around Noam Emeran when we first signed him. If anyone's got some insight on any of them it'd be good to hear.
Iestyn Hughes and Will Fish are the picks of defenders, although the other 2 are also good.
I thought there was a lot of fuss around Shoretire? Or isn't he eligible for scholarship
Emeran apart (I've not seen him play), that's a pretty uninspiring group of players for a club of our stature.
Emeran was using the aid of crutches last I heard from Jb.
Think that Shola and Omari Forson are still eligible for the u15 team therefore they are too young for this intake.