Thanks Prolific.
I do get your latest point though Spice Boys, even if I think you have cornered yourself in the way you put it, never mind the names you suggested.
Man Utd have been able to maintain a core group of players who were completely bred in Man Utd's history and style, were British, and possess a lot of talent.
There are players that are once in a generation like Giggs, Scholes, Beckham, Neville etc. What Utd have done so well is fund transfers through the sale of young players. Most of them, in the last 10 years, have failed to make it at Utd. Most of their big players are those they have signed off of the back of selling. Lots of their signings come in under/of the age of 25, and leave before they turn 30. There are obvious exceptions, but it is generally true.
Take their first XI...
Position Name - Description of purchase (Age when signed) Value as best known
GK De Gea - big money young signing (20) £19m
DR Rafael - good money young signing (18) £2.6m (£5.2m combined with fee for twin brother)
DC Ferdinand - big money young signing (23) £34m
DC Vidic - good money young signing (23) £7m
DL Evra - good money signing (25) £5.5m
DM Jones - big money young signings (19) £16.5m
CM Carrick - big money signing (25) £18m
AMR Valencia/Young - big money signings (23/26) £16m/£18m
AMC Rooney - big money young signing (18) £25.6m
AML Nani/Kagawa - big money young signings (20/23) £22m/£17m
ST V. Persie - big money signing (28) £22.5m
Most signings are 25 and under. Most cost upwards of £16m. 5 are potentially British. You don't have to look far into their back-ups to see other Brits like Smalling, Evans, Fletcher, Cleverley, Welbeck, Giggs, Zaha and Powell. They do have an XI's worth of decent to great British players.
You then look at the list of players that have come through their youth or just British that they have sold/left. R. Shawcross, D. Gibson, P. Neville, W. Brown, J. O'Shea, F. Campbell, D. Simpson, C. Eagles, B. Foster, P. Bardsley, K. Richardson and A. Smith. Not all of them came through the academy, but most were bought young if not. He does have a valid point, but only if he means a core of players that are British and have been brought though the club, it's history et al.
In that respect, Liverpool haven't had as much success. That being said; he has already described Borini, Allen and Luis Alberto as lost causes in the words of "god help us", so it seems our intent to copy their buy young strategy doesn't sit well with Spice either way, but I will let you all be your judges on that matter. I can say that Kelly, Wisdom, Henderson, Allen, Sturridge, Gerrard, Johnson, Downing, Robinson and even Ibe all but fit that strategy... And of Rodgers incomings: Borini, Aspas, Alberto, Coutinho, Mignolet and Assaidi all fit the same non-British mentality. We seem to be buying slightly younger than Utd, because we've had to try and build the squad up. Buying 4 young players, rather than 3 slightly older ones I guess...
Last edited by jjmelling; 14/07/13 10:59 PM.
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