Solskjaer: Get behind our FA Youth Cup campaign
Manchester United’s FA Youth Cup campaign begins on Friday night with a third-round tie against Lincoln City and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be among those supporting the young Reds.
The 19:00 GMT kick-off at Leigh Sports Village is free to attend and the match will also be shown live on MUTV, with former youth-team players Sammy McIlroy and Ben Thornley at pitchside.
Solskjaer is a big fan of the historic competition - which the club has won 10 times - and he is excited to see how Neil Ryan’s talented young players approach this Friday’s tie.
Solskjaer is a big fan of the historic competition - which the club has won 10 times - and he is excited to see how Neil Ryan’s talented young players approach this Friday’s tie.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says
"In the Academy it is not always about winning, it is more about learning, but the FA Youth Cup is the one tournament where they have the pressure on them and that is great for their education."
“I think it is a fantastic tournament,” Ole told us. “Sometimes in the Academy it is not always about winning, it is more about learning, but the FA Youth Cup is the one tournament where they have the pressure on them, when it is win or bust, and I think that is great for their education.
“Because they have got to be ready to play under pressure at this club and we have always prided ourselves on the FA Youth Cup. That is the main priority for the kids as well. Friday 13th is going to be a lucky day! You need some luck, of course, but I believe in these boys and Neil Ryan. I like the way he handles his team.”
“Because they have got to be ready to play under pressure at this club and we have always prided ourselves on the FA Youth Cup. That is the main priority for the kids as well. Friday 13th is going to be a lucky day! You need some luck, of course, but I believe in these boys and Neil Ryan. I like the way he handles his team.”
There will hopefully be a large attendance at Leigh Sports Village on Friday night and the pressure of playing in front of a crowd should inspire the young Reds, as Solskjaer explains.
“It is a great opportunity,” says Ole. “As a team, you are now playing with the expectations to win a game and I think that is important to how we are going to breed a winning mentality and put that into them. It is a different time of kick-off, compared to the usual Saturday mornings at 11 o’clock, which is sometimes not too big a crowd, so hopefully we can get a big crowd there on Friday night.”
“It is a great opportunity,” says Ole. “As a team, you are now playing with the expectations to win a game and I think that is important to how we are going to breed a winning mentality and put that into them. It is a different time of kick-off, compared to the usual Saturday mornings at 11 o’clock, which is sometimes not too big a crowd, so hopefully we can get a big crowd there on Friday night.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says
"They are always going to get opportunities if they show a willingness to learn, the attitude that we expect from a Manchester United player, the skills and of course the performances."
Promoting homegrown talent has always been a fundamental part of United’s DNA and, with up to 12 former youth players in the first-team squad, now is an outstanding period for the Academy.
“I feel great about the young kids and I want to see as many of them be good enough to go into the first team,” says Ole, who plans to attend Friday’s cup tie. “They are always going to get opportunities if they show a willingness to learn, the attitude that we expect from a Manchester United player, the skills and of course the performances. This is definitely a chance for everyone.”
Entry to Friday’s FA Youth Cup tie at Leigh Sports Village is free.
MUTV subscribers can also watch it live, with coverage starting at 18:30 GMT.
“I feel great about the young kids and I want to see as many of them be good enough to go into the first team,” says Ole, who plans to attend Friday’s cup tie. “They are always going to get opportunities if they show a willingness to learn, the attitude that we expect from a Manchester United player, the skills and of course the performances. This is definitely a chance for everyone.”
Entry to Friday’s FA Youth Cup tie at Leigh Sports Village is free.
MUTV subscribers can also watch it live, with coverage starting at 18:30 GMT.
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