The fact is that most years to majority of the players on the team that lifts the FA youth trophy are not going to go on to be stars at the next level. There are of course some exceptions to this with some of England's biggest names having won the prize including Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen, Joe Cole, Theo Walcott, and recently Garreth Bale. Despite that no single team can compare to the side that won in 1991-1992. That squad defeated Crystal Palace 6-3 in the final but is mainly remembered for what they would go on to do as they became the foundation for the success which United has enjoyed since then. The 1992 team contained seven players who would go on to earn international caps and to this day they continue to shape Manchester United. The seven members of the team that went on to become internationals were David Beckham, Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, Robbie Savage, Keith Gillespie, and Simon Davies (who did only get the one cap for Wales). With Ryan Giggs almost certain to play on for at least one more season he will continue to be a link back to the fledglings. The retirement of Gary Neville this winter meant that Giggs was the last man standing for the squad as all of the others have moved on or retired from professional football. The 1992 final may have come to early for the likes of Paul Scholes and Phil Neville who would later play in the competition and join the others at the highest level in club football. The other members of the title winning side all struggled to break in to the first team for United with most of them eventually moving on to lower league sides but there is no question that this team had a major impact on football at the highest level and United in particular.
This years team had many talented names but it would amaze most fans if they were able to reach the kinds of levels that the fledglings did. Their 4-1 win at Old Trafford was an impressive victory to say the least and it gave them a 6-3 win on aggregate which is a familiar score line to those who know their history. I do not expect anyone from this side to be the next Ryan Giggs or George Best but I do think that several of them have what it takes to make some impact at the top level.
Ravel Morrison:
He is almost certainly the most talented player of the whole bunch. He scored a pair of goals in the second leg and at only 18 years of age the midfielder has shown that he has the skills to make it at United. He was even handed his debut with the senior team this year when he made a sub appearance against Wolves in the League Cup. As a local boy from Manchester he is quickly becoming a fan favourite despite having some personal issues. If the off field stuff does not ruin his career it is likely that he talent will be able to take him as far as he wants to go. He is one to watch starting as soon as next season when he will likely be included in a few more first team games assuming that he is not sent out on loan.
Will and Michael Keane:
The twins follow a tradition of family at United. They will be looking to follow the same path as the Neville brothers and the Da Silva twins by eventually playing together for the senior team but for now they are enjoying playing together at Carrington where they have impressed. Will scored a pair of goals in the final and has many considering him as being the best forward that United have in the youth system. With the senior team having a strong selection of strikers in the form of Rooney, Hernandez, Berbatov, and Welbeck who is likely to stay at the club next season Will is not going to be rushed along and should have time to develop. His favourable comparisons to Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and Teddy Sherringham show how highly he is thought of around the club as he just has a knack for popping up and scoring goals. Michael is a defender and his progress has been a bit less spectacular and has been instead about making steady progress. The twins are now 18 and will almost certainly both be given a shot to break in to the first team in the coming years.
Paul Pogba:
Yet another 18 year old from the team Pogba is a talent that a lot of United fans are excited about. He can play all over the central midfield and his solid play in the position has led to many to compare him to some of the great french midfielders like Patrick Vierra and Abou Diaby. He has also shown that he is capable of scoring some spectacular goals as he can strike the ball from long range as well as almost any one at the pro level let alone a youth team player. United worked very hard to sign him out of France and they clearly have high hopes for him. The central midfield is probably one of the clubs weaker areas with Paul Scholes nearing the end of his career so Pogba is going to get a real chance to make it at the club sometime soon. Would not be surprised to see him feature in the Carling cup at some point next year.
There are a few other players in the team that might just make it into the first team one day but these four are the ones that I think have the best chance of sticking at that level. A lot of United fans are excited about the talent coming through the ranks and that is why the memories/comparisons to the 1992 team are not quite as far fetched as they might seem at first.
No comments:
Post a Comment