Keep Calm,The Academy is there

The English Premier League weekend was set abuzz by two names, Ravel Morrison and Adnan Januzaj. Two names that have a couple of things in common. They both scored very well taken goals that will leave quite an impact to the fans of their respective teams and the manner in which the goals were scored was breathtaking to say the least.

The goals also came when the managers in both teams (West Ham United and Manchester United) needed victories having endured difficult starts to their respective seasons for different reasons. 

David Moyes has had to endure torrid moments in press rooms convincing United fans who have had to make do with reminders from the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool that they (United) are on a downward spiral in the form of a worse league start for decades while big Sam had never seen his team pick a point away before Sunday this season let alone the unforgiving history books that showed how long West Ham have gone without a victory of any note at White Hart Lane unless you count West Ham successful bid in using the London’s Olympic stadium.

The most relevant common factor that brings the two teenagers together is their history as Manchester United youth players. Not long ago Ravel Morrison was still on the books of Man United where he regularly played alongside the likes Januzaj, Jesse Lingard, Will and Michael Keane and Sir Alex Ferguson’s prodigal son Paul Pogba and regular word from the corners of Old Trafford and United’s Carrington training grounds was that the two (Ravel and Adnan) were the crème de la crème of the crop in United’s Fledglings.

First Forward a couple of months and the two players having saved their managers and fans some slack and trash talk from opposing fans are already being talked as future England stars . As much as talk of saving the 3 lions from year’s mediocrity is in actual sense more than pre mature the obvious thing is their talent in orchestrating attacks in their teams. 

Before sanctioning his sale to West Ham a reluctant and somewhat heartbroken Sir Alex told Big Sam that if he waves his wand on Ravel he will without any shadow of a doubt make the England squad, that is because he is talented enough to make earn a call up especially for a team that is crying out for a home grown talent.

Adnan Januzaj on the other hand showed glimpses of what e is capable of when he regularly dazzled the crowds that attended United Pre-season games in Asia and Australia and Sir Alex Fergusson handed him his first senior appearance on United’s bench towards the end of last season and David Moyes dully followed suit this season.

Much talk has been how United are about to become a mediocre side having lost the greatest manager in the premier league to retirement leaving the reigns to David Moyes who has shown signs of struggling with tactics and team selections this season . Logically Moyes is capable of guiding United through a transition period, what he needs is time and support from the United faithful and with time he will prove the doubters wrong.

What this weekend has served as a timely reminder is united’s wealth in talented youth prospects. David Moyes spoke of how Adnan perfomed beyond United’s legends who endured difficult starts unlike the boy wonder from Kosovo and Albania via Belgium who has in a way eased in United’s folklore.

Ravel Morison and Adnan Januzaj are a few of a very long list of United’s youth fledglings waiting on the wings. It is unfortunate that Fergie time ended with a mockery of how he allowed the likes of Paul Pogba and Ezekiel Fryers to slip through his fingers and especially on Pogba’s case he should have had more patience than he showed and as a United fan with the disappointment of seeing him doing good at Juventus we can only wish him well.

The disappointment should be soothed by the fact that United haven’t been left poor with the departures of Pogba,Morrison and Fryers and Januzaj is enough proof that the famed history of home grown kids is not about to follow Fergie time into retirement.

In Case no one heard the news Jesse Lingard who went to Birmingham City on loan scored 4 goals in his debut. This is the same player who top scored for United in pre season games and at 20 years old there can only be a lot of room to improve and become a united legend.

Will Keane just came back from injury and his goal scoring exploits in united reserve outings are well documented. Jack Barmby is another name that should be heard sooner rather than later. In that same list add names like Larnell Cole, Andreas Perreira, Devon Redmond, Tom Lawrence, Tyson Blackett and many others.

History shows that United is up there with the teams that lead the way when it comes to youth development. This is after all the same team that breeds the careers of Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, Johnnie Evans, Darren Fletcher and the Da Silva twins.

The record in history is there for all to see, it may have been a tough start of the season for the new Red Devils boss but Adnan Januzaj bought a timely reminder of United’s wealth in talent. Much has been made of the lack of signings that is responsible for the poor start of the season, yet as the game against Sunderland proved the answer to United’s problems may be lying within the reigns of its academy; remember the name, Adnan Januzaj.

Writer: Geoffrey Lea @geoffiejeff