The youngsters we let go - should they have been sold?

ryansgirl

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As I have never had the chance to watch the Reserves I cannot make a qualified opinion on the abilities of the youngsters we let go.

But it seems to me that the list is too long and had too many who could have turned out to be pushing for first team places if they had been given the opportunity. And these days the youth policy looks to have been given the heave ho, Yes, the youth coach etc were given the boot but is that more a case of scapegoating them?

Please give me your opinion on whether we should have kept and helped make the jump to the first team -

Danny Higginbotham
Jonathon Macken
David Healy
Richard Wellens
Alex Notman
John Kane
Ronny Wallwork
Michael Clegg
Jonathon Greening

Anybod else. Thanks.
 
Don't think we should keep any of them, except may be Higginbotham. He can be a great cover for our backline if we kept him.

BTW, I think you can add Simon Davies, Mark Wilson, John Curtis, etc. to your list.
 
The only one I'd have kept was Higgonbotham. I think he could have pushed himself into the team. Healy was missed 2 seasons ago when we signed him, leaving us with 3 strikers at the time and Yorke. I do not believe he would have made an impact at Old Trafford.

You can also add Philip Mulryan to your list who still continues to play consistantly good week in, week out.

Another player that should never have being sold was Sharpie and Clayton Blackmore, both could still take on any team in the PL, and if Clayton was playing on Saturday he wouldn't have allowed Harry Kewell get his head to that ball.
 
Originally posted by bazalini:
<strong>
Clayton Blackmore, could still take on any team in the PL, and if Clayton was playing on Saturday he wouldn't have allowed Harry Kewell get his head to that ball.</strong><hr></blockquote>

<img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" />
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as most of them youngsters were let go, when our squad was at its peak, with seemingly no way in for most of them, i believe the arguement is a little moot.
However, if you were to ask which ones would stand a chance today, id say Higginbotham, Healey (I think he'd score goals if he gets the chance Baz..plus hes got PACE) and Mulryne whos in pretty good form. Interesting that when he was sold to Norwich, he'd actually started a few pre-season games for us and in fact had scored a hat-trick against Birmingham.
 
GB,

Healy's lost his way abit from 2 seasons ago, is struggling with form at Preston, I don't think he would have made a major impact at OT as a striker that we needed. He might have done a Mark Robins but we need a Michael Owen from our youths.
 
Originally posted by bazalini:
<strong>GB,

Healy's lost his way abit from 2 seasons ago, is struggling with form at Preston, I don't think he would have made a major impact at OT as a striker that we needed. He might have done a Mark Robins but we need a Michael Owen from our youths.</strong><hr></blockquote>

More to do with the coaching change there tho Baz. Last season he was Prestons best player. This year Craig Brown has brought in his own men including 2 new strikers, so healey has been benched. Needs a move to get his sharpness back again. Ive monitored his progress all the way through & he's scored goals at all levels, including international. Given time he could have been our MO but understably wanted a move for first team footy.
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I did see him at windsor last time out and he looked abit slow.

In relation to Norn Oreland. Isn't McVeigh some prospect?? I hear the IFA are doing alot behind the scences to get Lennon back.
 
Originally posted by bazalini:
<strong>I did see him at windsor last time out and he looked abit slow.

In relation to Norn Oreland. Isn't McVeigh some prospect?? I hear the IFA are doing alot behind the scences to get Lennon back.</strong><hr></blockquote>

thats the guy from Norwich aint it? looks a great wee player. thats the only thing that concerns me, some of the young players coming through..theyre getting smaller in height!

Good to hear the IFA are at least trying to do something. Ive never understood this notion that the IFA pander to the bigots at windsor. The Chairman Boyce is the chairman at Cliftonville too ffs.
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The biggest problem with NOrn Oreland Football is the fact they play at Windsor. Home of Linfield and in the middle of the Village.

If the IFA were to build a new stadium out in the suberbs it would be ideal. Ravenhill is also getting on and maybe the URU and IFA could do something together.


With the GAA now opening up maybe Casement in Andytown could be a venue. ;)

As I said before this Northern Ireland team should be in a position to run close for qualification. If not they need to get rid of sammy and put Roy Coyle in.
 
Originally posted by bazalini:
<strong>The biggest problem with NOrn Oreland Football is the fact they play at Windsor. Home of Linfield and in the middle of the Village.

If the IFA were to build a new stadium out in the suberbs it would be ideal. Ravenhill is also getting on and maybe the URU and IFA could do something together.


With the GAA now opening up maybe Casement in Andytown could be a venue. ;)

As I said before this Northern Ireland team should be in a position to run close for qualification. If not they need to get rid of sammy and put Roy Coyle in.</strong><hr></blockquote>


Casement would just hold the same problems that Windsor does. We need a new stadium (no more than 30,000 cos it'd look a bit stupid half empty) possibly in the same location as the Odyssey.

Also McVeigh is looking great for Norwich however his chances at International level have been limited. Healys a good link player so hopefully these two will play v well together.

Sammy seems to be a good manager however hes not strict enough on the players. Roy Coyles a man i'd definatly like to see in the Northern Ireland setup, possibly not as manager though.
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My opinion about the youngsters is as simply as they aren't good enough. I can agree that they had potential, but still... It takes more than potential to reach the 1st team! United hasn't been good enough to create youngsters the last 4-5 years. It's a shame. John O'Shea is the last youngsters to play with the first team. From what I've seen, he seems to fit in. I would put my money on him!
 
Originally posted by giggsgirl:
<strong>As I have never had the chance to watch the Reserves I cannot make a qualified opinion on the abilities of the youngsters we let go.

But it seems to me that the list is too long and had too many who could have turned out to be pushing for first team places if they had been given the opportunity. And these days the youth policy looks to have been given the heave ho, Yes, the youth coach etc were given the boot but is that more a case of scapegoating them?

Please give me your opinion on whether we should have kept and helped make the jump to the first team -

Danny Higginbotham
Jonathon Macken
David Healy
Richard Wellens
Alex Notman
John Kane
Ronny Wallwork
Michael Clegg
Jonathon Greening

Anybod else. Thanks.</strong><hr></blockquote>

John Curtis i would have liked to have seen stay. Alex Notman is doing ok at Norwich but in an average team you'd expect him to stand out if he'd been good enough to stay.
I've seen john O'Kane and Richie Wellens play quite a few time for Blackpool. O'Kane wouldn't have been good enough, Wellens is a solid creative midfielder but i don't think he's premiership quality
David Healy scoring plenty of goals for Preston but scoring in the first division and scoring in the premiership are two different things. Ask Nathan Blake.

From what i've heard Jimmy Davis is doing very well at Swindon. The experience will do him good.
Danny Webber is showing real potential at Watford, he's had atleast two man of the match performances. I'd like to see him recalled and given a chance.
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Another player that should never have being sold was Sharpie <hr></blockquote>

bazalini, I beg to differ.

While Sharp contributed greatly to United's successes, he was never the same player after his long-term illness & we got good money selling him to our dearest rivals Leeds.

He didn't do anything at Leeds nor subsequently at Bradford & is now sadly in the football wilderness only a few seasons after the high of playing for United! :(
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Originally posted by klima:
<strong>My opinion about the youngsters is as simply as they aren't good enough. I can agree that they had potential, but still... It takes more than potential to reach the 1st team! United hasn't been good enough to create youngsters the last 4-5 years. It's a shame. John O'Shea is the last youngsters to play with the first team. From what I've seen, he seems to fit in. I would put my money on him!</strong><hr></blockquote>

Look, you can't have 2-3 players going into the first team every year, that's impossible. One every season is quite good IMO.
The class of 92 is a one off, I doubt it very much that the likes of them would come again in the next five years.
I think United have shown that they still produce good young players. The likes ofChadwick, Brown, O'Shea prove that.
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I understand the nostalgia about Sharpie - I was only watching last night a video of Manchester United in the early to mid 90s and could that boy run and score!

Unfortunately Lee apparently was scoring in another way, detrimental to his health. No, I am not referring to the women but to the rumours of his living the `high life`. Despite all the official claptrap about how Lee wanted to play in his favourite position, etc, I think only the uninformed would believe that is why he left.

Fergie has coped with drinkers and partyers in his squad, provided they did the job on the pitch and did not receive too much negative publicity for foolish, boorish or downright illegal behaviour. So the fact that Lee was shown the door (it was not his first choice) says something about his lifestyle.

What a shame - he could have been better than Giggsy and even now could have been carving his name in MU history. I believe he was one younster we should have let go (sadly) as his chosen lifestyle was undoubtedly ruining his footballing career. Too bad.
:( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(
 
I think Savage is a player we could have made a good profit on if we had kept him.
 
Savage was ditched due to a major drink problem. He basically needed to be dumped down the divisions to make or break him, and Dario Gradi made him. If we'd kept him he would have ended up a washed up junkie like Sharpe in all probability.
 
You can't really say any of those players we let go would have made much of an impact on the first team nor the squad as a whole. Healy maybe, I really expected him to make it.
 
Mulryne would have been great back up for Becks

Higginbotham would have been great back up for Silvestre imo.

Tonge at Sheffield United would easily have been Giggs' back up by now.

Healy would have been our Owen :D <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" />


Savage would have solved our current injury woes at this point in time. Great covering midfielder though he is till a troublsome ponce at times.

Thats ALL I see.
:p
 
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