Of course anyone will tell you playing for Wigan, or United’s academy or reserves is a lot different to playing in front of 70 odd thousand fans every week, but the same argument could have been used for any player to come through the ranks. It’s been a while since anyone’s made the step up from the youth to the first team, but it’s also been a while since players of the caliber of Pogba Morrison and Cleverley were coming through United’s ranks.
With Michael Carrick recently signing a new long-term contract, it’s obvious that despite what many fans wish, he won’t be going anywhere soon. Neither it seems will Darren Fletcher who’s also poised to sign a new deal according to many reports. While Fletcher has struggled at times this season, he’s still a class act on his day and hopefully once he gets himself fit, he’ll be able to put in the barnstorming performances he was fast becoming well known for. Carrick’s one of the less revered players at the club, but while he may not be everyone’s cup of tea he has won a hat-trick of titles and a Champion’s League, so he can’t be the disaster some claim he is.
Darron Gibson’s a player that makes Carrick seem revered such is the level of disdain most Reds hold him in. I know most disagree but I’m still convinced Gibson may have a future at Old Trafford, particularly if his passing continues to improve. Then there’s Rooney. I know I earlier labelled him a striker but as his recent performances have shown he can play practically as a midfielder and I for one think that’s where is future may lie.
The point I’m making is do United really need to go out and spend £40, £50 or even £100 million on a host of players. Given the choice of Henderson or Carrick I’d actually prefer the latter, ditto if you gave me the choice between Rodwell and Pogba. You can argue with some justification that Rodwell’s more proven but I’m not sure his ascendancy is as great as every one assumes.
Last season, for me, was a more impressive one for the midfielder than this one has been and I genuinely think Pogba’s punching well below his weight playing for United’s academy or the reserves for that matter. Some people claim that United need to spend big to show City, Chelsea and the rest of the pretenders that we’ve still got the financial clout to compete and are not totally crippled by the Glazer’s debt.
Well I’m sorry but that’s as ridiculous as it is dangerous. Spending money just to show you’ve got it is like going for a quick pint in Alderley Edge when you live in Stretford. Whether United have money or not is beside the point, I genuinely don’t think we need to buy more than maybe one midfielder and a goalkeeper.
Even if we just bought a ‘keeper I wouldn’t be that disappointed, I remember in 1995 when Mark Hughes, Andrei Kanchelskis and Paul Ince left for “greener pastures” after United had just experienced our first trophy-less season in six years.
Everyone predicted we’d fall behind mega-spending Blackburn and Newcastle but a few youngsters came through the ranks to poor dandelion and burdock on that particular chip barm.
Giving Cleverley, Pogba, Morrison and some would argue even Carrick, Gibson and Fletcher the job of looking after United’s midfield may be something of a gamble, but for me it’s less of gamble than spending £80 million on players who may or may not be good enough for Old Trafford.
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Finally some perspective. Excellent article, great read. I still think we will need a playmaker and a gk obviously, but who knows, fergie may solve that problem from within as you suggest.
well said fella! fans are getting so wound up by the tabloids saying we need a massive rehaul player and that its all falling apart, they seem completely blind to the fact that the players weve already got have put us top of the league.
of course the tabloids want us to spend billions every transfer window.. they want something to write about so people will buy their sh*tty rags.
but id much rather fergie took his time in deciding which of the current crop are united standard, THEN spend the big money filling the gaps. this might be fergies last team.. all them years of experience put into the side that is about to emerge. his greatest yet. he wont be rushed into hasty signings by the fans or the tabloids.