Look at the raft of British players developed through our system and now playing in the top flight. Compare that to the foreigners. Before any of you delicate snowflakes get triggered there are always exceptions and we need to look at generalisations.
You are saying that more of our British players tend to make it in the top flight, correct? If that is what you are inferring, it is a bit unfair considering our reserves and academy are far more populated with British talent than foreign born. The current crop of U23's has 5 foreign players out of the 14 listed. In recent history I know we've had a crew of Italians that never quite made the grade, and then the Brazilian trio of Rafael, Fabio, and Possebon (RIP). Before that sudden influx around 2008 or so, I seem to remember United having even less foreign talent in the reserves/academy. Although, my memory may be failing me these days.
Whether it's right, fair, what have you, I don't think it's really all that surprising to be honest. While the Academy brings in top English talent, usually from around Greater Manchester, the foreigners that are brought in are usually top, top prospects. Therefore, I don't think it's really surprising if the foreign kids end up getting the most chances. But even then, the success rate of even the foreign kids has been very low at the club (just as it's been with the English kids). As it's been discussed many times, what I really hope to see in coming years is simply to see the ratio of kids making it to the first team from the Academy, increase. I totally get that not only the competition in the first team is just very tough and only a select few even may have what it takes to make it to begin with, but it would be nice to see more kids with a real shot to make it, whether they English or foreign.
The players can come from Outer Mongolia as long as they're the best available for me, but if i'm doing a u18 line-up, and having to type the names in manually i'd much prefer it if they were a Smith, or a Jones - no other reason
A Manchester United u17 team(a mixture of u18, u16, u15 and a French trialist) played Burnley last night at The Cliff, and won 7-0 Scorers: Burkart 2, Trialist, Tanner, Bughail-Mellor, Dolan and Garner
As well as the fact that most Utd youngsters are locals, British players don't have it in them to play abroad. So any British Utd academy players who make it can only possibly make it in the PL or in the Championship with a side that gets promoted. Once you have PL experience you're more likely to be picked up again by a PL manager who thinks PL experience will get them out of their slump. If they've had a handful of games for Utd, then they're made for life. The smaller number of Utd youngsters who are not British are not tethered to the English leagues. That's why they're scattered across Europe and South America.
18s - Blackburn Rovers v Manchester United Fojticek Tanner Dunne O'Connor Kenyon Whelan Hamilton Boonen Barlow Bohui Burkart Thompson, Spratt, Ercolani, Sang, Makela(back from youth loan @ Bury) 0-2 up and cruising midway through the 2nd-half with goals from Barlow and Hamilton, United somehow managed to concede 3(three) goals in a few minutes to lose 3-2, with former red Lewis Thompson(lb) getting their first The 16s also lost by 2-1, Garner with the goal --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Manchester United have stopped DJ Buffonge from playing at the CONCACAF under-20 Championship that started today as it doesn't fall within a FIFA date period. Petty methinks, obviously United feel he'll benefit more coming on as a late sub for the 23s tomorrow....
(u23) - Manchester United v Reading - (12:00 ko) O’Hara Olosunde Scott Tuanzebe Mitchell Willock Kehinde Gribbin McTominay Harrop Redmond M. Johnstone, Warren, Whelan, Bohui, Buffonge.
Tbf, the reserve set up has been in limbo. With all the turn over within the club over the last few years (1st team and u18) it's hard to expect much from the u23 set up.
Injurires to some key players, especially in defense. No real strikers in this current group, plus all the talent that moved up to the senior team or out on loan, it always going to be a tough season for the U23s.
And this gig as U23 coach was always nothing more than a temp job for him until he finds someone else. He's made that very clear and is still the head of the Academy.
The U23 team are currently 8th in the table, having just won 2 games under Butt since he took over in November.
Everton 16 12 2 2 36 11 +25 38 Man City 17 10 5 2 38 24 +14 35 Liverpoo 16 8 3 5 30 20 +10 27 Chelsea 16 6 7 3 33 22 +11 25 The Arse 16 7 1 8 23 22 +1 22 Sunderland 16 5 6 5 20 24 -4 21 Soton 16 5 3 8 21 28 -7 18 Reading 17 5 3 9 28 38 -10 18 Derby County 17 4 5 8 25 34 -9 17 Man United 17 4 5 8 18 30 -12 17 Tottenham 16 4 4 8 24 31 -7 16 Leicester City 16 4 4 8 22 34 -12 16
Premier League International Cup(u23) @ Leigh Sports Village Manchester United v FC Porto Henderson Warren Tuanzebe CBJ Mitchell Whelan Poole Gribbin McTominay Harrop Bohui Johnstone, O'Connor, Scott, Redmond, Willock, DJ Buffonge, Kehinde