How your presence will help our young Reds

Monday 09 May 2022 09:00

When Charlie Savage and Zidane Iqbal made their first-team debuts for Manchester United in December, the club’s head of Academy was proudly sat in the stands, but with one other thing on his mind.

“I’m thinking: these boys haven’t had a chance to have a go,” Nick Cox says.

“Because of COVID, their first go at Old Trafford was in the real thing. No dress rehearsal in the FA Youth Cup.

“This next generation of boys that make their debuts will have had a go before. If you turn up and watch the FA Youth Cup final, you are contributing to their development. If we can have a ferocious atmosphere and passionate fans, it will help the boys cope that little bit better when they get the chance to play in front of 75,000.”

More than 60,000 tickets have sold for United’s upcoming FA Youth Cup final against Nottingham Forest, which kicks off at 19:30 BST on Wednesday 11 May. Supporters still have the chance to be a part of the record-breaking crowd, with tickets still available here, although selling quickly.

Charlie and Zidane wait to enter the fray at Old Trafford for the first time.

When Savage and Iqbal – midfield partners and mates since they were kids – made their debuts in December’s UEFA Champions League draw with BSC Young Boys, they did well and loved the occasion. Their families were rightly bursting with pride, and so were United fans. But Cox’s point is an important one. The global pandemic has denied certain development opportunities to kids in United’s Academy.

For Charlie and Zidane’s age group, the chance to play in front of a bumper Old Trafford crowd in the FA Youth Cup was not there. For other age groups missing were trips abroad for training camps, friendlies or prestigious tournaments like the UEFA Youth League, SuperCupNI, the Mediterranean International Cup or the Adidas Generation Cup. For others, training with the first team was a less likely possibility due to strict COVID-19 bubbles. Over this season, many of those restrictions have been adapted and lessened, leading to a whole host of learning opportunities beginning again. And this is the key one.

“There’s nothing quite like it,” the Under-18s’ lead coach Travis Binnion says.

“I think you find out quite a lot about players in this tournament. The number of tickets sold shows what a fantastic club we represent, what it’s capable of and the interest the fans have in the youth programme and the Academy. It’s brilliant.”

Also crucial to the Youth Cup, of course, is that sense of jeopardy. There are several transitions experienced for Academy players throughout their development – United’s youth set-up works in three main age groups, from 9-13, 14-16 and then 17-23 – but perhaps the hardest hurdle comes in the move from a full focus on development at the younger ages to the U18s and U23s where results begin to matter more, in preparation for senior football.

“The purpose of the FA Youth Cup is to create amazing learning opportunities,” says Cox.

“The boys put some pressure on themselves to win, the history of the competition at this club puts a little bit of pressure on them as well, and you play in front of crowds, have that little bit of pressure and have to deal with whatever conundrums cup competitions throw at you.”

Travis Binnion, U18s lead coach says

“Enjoy watching the players. Encourage them and believe in them because we like to think that some of these are going to be around for a long time.”

And it’s working.

“The kids – and they are still kids, but they’re developing into young professionals – are starting to understand more and more what’s required to be successful, and that’s powerful,” Binnion says.

Justin Cochrane, who has worked as head of Academy player development since joining the club last summer, says:

“I’m looking forward to seeing how the players handle the nerves, the crowd, a strong opposition. It’s a big step in their journey, adapting in this scenario. They need to show that they can play in this sort of stage and this sort of arena if they want to progress and play in the Premier League for Manchester United, so it’s exciting.

“We want as many people to come as possible. Playing in front of a crowd of United supporters – people from all over the UK or people that may be travelling in to watch the game – it’s great for these players.

FA Youth Cup: The story so far Video

FA Youth Cup: The story so far

Must-see | The Under-18s squad talk us through the highlights of our journey to the FA Youth Cup final...

“It gives them that real matchday experience. We want to recreate that experience with some noise and some atmosphere. It’s good for their development.”

If you can, make sure you’re down at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, and be there with the knowledge that you are playing a key role in the development of our young Reds.

“Enjoy watching the players,” Binnion says, finally. “Encourage them and believe in them because we like to think that some of these are going to be around for a long time.”

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