Tom Cleverley | 2010/11 Performances (on loan at Wigan)

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Good interview in the Mail

Snippet:
Before joining Wigan on loan he enjoyed spells in the Championship at Leicester and Watford. It is a period he believes turned him from a boy into a man.
'Living away from home has never been a problem for me,' says Cleverley, who was 11 when he chose United ahead of Leeds and Blackburn.
'I was in club digs by the age of 15 or 16. Although it's fantastic growing up at United, there's a point where you want a taste of first-team football.
'It's a bit strange to keep going out on loan. I don't think anyone can walk into a club and feel at home on the first day but I've gotten used to it. I've had four clubs and hopefully this time next year it's still four clubs and I'm playing for United.'

Cleverley and Danny Welbeck are the only members of their United youth team now playing in the top flight, but Ferguson is not short of young talent. He continues to place great faith in youth, insisting there is no value in the transfer market, and Cleverley sees comparisons with this generation and that of Beckham, Scholes, Butt and the Neville brothers.

'I'd much rather the manager didn't buy players because he trusts the youth he's got,' says Cleverley. Hopefully we can prove him right. It's going to be very hard to emulate what they did but we'll give it our best shot.
'There are comparisons. Me, Danny Welbeck and Chris Smalling are with the England Under 21s, which makes us closer, and there's a really good vibe around all the young lads. I think there are 12 or 13 players under 24 at United - Javier Hernandez, the Da Silva twins, Bebe, Gabby Obertan, Darron Gibson, Jonny Evans. There are plenty of lads there well capable of wearing the United shirt.'

Cleverley, whose great uncle Reg Stratton played alongside Johnny Haynes at Fulham, admits that Beckham is something of a role model.
'I've never had the blistering pace that other players have had so I always looked to try to play like Beckham. I try to get a bit of Beckham, a bit of Scholes and people have mentioned Park Ji-sung and his work-rate in midfield. They are all great players and I'd love to achieve what they have.
'Growing up at United you learn how to deal with the fame that's ahead. Your feet are always on the ground and you never feel like you've made it.'
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Full article: Manchester United's loan star Tom Cleverley prepares to take on Chelsea | Mail Online
 
Immediately after reading that article, I tried to find Tom singing "Ain't No Sunshine" on Youtube. Very disappointed now.
 
At 16, they put him on a different scholarship to the other boys who went into full-time training. He was asked to split his time between United and two more years of school - football's equivalent of 'don't give up the day job'.
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Is interesting. Surely we have grown out of this stigma that you have to be a 6 footer to make it in the PL? I mean look at our best players- Nani, Giggs, Scholesy, Rooney, Evra....
 
look at the barca team or spanish squad - the two best sides in the world

if you are good enough you are talented enough
 
SmashedHombre said:
Is interesting. Surely we have grown out of this stigma that you have to be a 6 footer to make it in the PL? I mean look at our best players- Nani, Giggs, Scholesy, Rooney, Evra....
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I think the more academic scholars are put on slightly different contracts so that they can mix their studies and football, Oliver Gill is another one. I'm not sure that he was 'made' to do it.

As for the small players, just look at the Academy with Cole, Lingard, Daehli, Rudge etc who are all small but technically gifted and given a chance.
 
He was hardly an outstanding talent at 16 though, was he? Which makes where he's at now all the more impressive.
 
He certainly spent the vast majority of his time in the reserves at fullback yeah. No idea if thats because he was already playing there at previous levels or because that was where the reserves needed depth and so he got a chance and kept his place.
 
Elliott said:
He was hardly an outstanding talent at 16 though, was he? Which makes where he's at now all the more impressive.
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Hard to tell because when he broke into the u18's he was injured so much. I was not at all impressed with him when I saw him first time as a left back - but then i was told later during that match that he had been out injured for close to a year
 
Skholesy said:
do you have to be so serious?
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:lol: Do you?

I was being far from serious just pointing out i'd never seen you before and you have turned up (in my eyes only) now Scholesy is banned.
 
Wigan have had a mini revival. Any info on how Cleverley has done?
and any links to a decent Wigan forum?
 
Cleverley has been steady...their last match, the 3-1 against Blackpool, he played the entire 90 minutes, and has been playing a fair bit since his return from injury.

Looks to be always involved, and as I said, hasn't really done anything amazing yet, but gets through a ton of work, and isn't afraid of having the ball. If we bring him back next season, I can definitely see him playing a role as a member of the squad.

EDIT: Wigan fans would love to have him back again next season.
 
Anyone see the interview with him on sky yesterday? About how he grew up idolising Scholes, Beckham, the Neville bros etc, and how he still stays in contact with the club during his loan by spending time at Carrington on his days off, was a decent interview. He said he hangs around with Smalling and Welbeck mostly, with them having come through the ranks together with England too.
 
Sound like good stuff from him. I also can't help but feel that now is the perfect time for the likes of him, Smalling(he has in fairness) and Welbeck to be given oportunities within the first team.

With the prem being as it is now most of the dominant figures are now coming toward the end of their careers if you look at the likes of Giggs, Scholes, Drogba, Gerard, Lampard, Rio and Terry.

Thats probably as much reason as any why the prem has been so topsy turvy this season and it seems like the perfect time to introduce the next generation of young players who will go on to become a dominant force within the prem.
 
evra said:
It depends on who we buy in the Summer really, I can't see us buying another winger so he could get time there but I''d be utterly shocked if we didn't buy another CM so that may restrict his chances.
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There is no chance of us not strengthening our center midfield this summer. Cleverley's best chance to have an impact will be out wide.
 
evra said:
Yes I agree, although I thought that last Summer!
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It couldn't happen last summer though with Scholes still able to function and Hargreaves' potential return. This summer Scholes will most likely call it quits and Hargreaves will leave. We will thus need one top midfield signing to counter balance that loss.
 
buckooo1978 said:
look at the barca team or spanish squad - the two best sides in the world

if you are good enough you are talented enough
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If you can clone players, I think Real are probably better than Spain.
 
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