Key factor in Garner move revealed
Manchester United feel James Garner's loan move to Nottingham Forest should be a perfect fit for the young midfielder.
Academy performance manager Les Parry discussed winter deals with us and explained the background behind the latest move.
Garner's stint at Watford was ended to allow him to switch to Forest and he has made a positive start to life at the City Ground.
One of the key factors behind the move, as other clubs were interested, was the respect for Forest boss Chris Hughton, who has a reputation for being an excellent man-manager.
“James has done well getting to Forest,” explained Parry. “The manager Chris Hughton was really keen on him. What happened at Watford is the bane of our lives: a manager change. It is one thing that can kill loans because the new manager comes in and, the first thing he wants to do, is look at the longer term with the players there, which is understandable.
“Although James did really well in the first part of his loan, he only played about 40 minutes in six games under the new manager so we looked around, trying to find a Championship club for him. Forest came up and were keen so we were able to negotiate the swap.
“It is a fantastic move for him and they've managed to lift themselves a little bit towards safety as well, which is good as they can maybe relax a little bit. He got Man of the Match in a few quarters on his debut, against Coventry, so he's started well. He's a good player and he will do well.
“Chris Hughton was one of the attractions for us, to be quite honest with you, with us selecting Forest. I think all of our coaches, and myself, have great respect for Chris. He has a great reputation for the way he treats players, which is important for us. On top of that, with him really fancying James as a player, and the fact he's going to treat him well, educate him well, was massive in making the decision.”
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Garner will hope to feature in two big upcoming games for Forest in the Championship.
On Saturday, at 12:30 GMT, the east Midlands oufit are at home to Bournemouth, live on Sky Sports in the UK, before travelling to Swansea City on Wednesday at 19:00 GMT.