Manchester United's Academy - News and Rumors

[Andi Istiabudi]

DEARNLEY ADAPTING TO NEW ROLE AT UNITED

Zak Dearnley is ready to provide Manchester United's Reserves with more attacking thrust next season as he now considers himself an out-and-out striker.

The 18-year-old will move up from the Academy squad and should provide another option up front, with Josh Bohui another striker in the squad after already gaining experience under interim boss Nicky Butt towards the end of last term.

The Reds have been short of forwards at this level but Dearnley's specialist training suggests he will be chasing goals when 2017/18 gets under way.

"I’d say I'm a striker now," he told ManUtd.com. "Yeah, striker, definitely. I am all about goals now. Kieran McKenna has come in and really helped a lot with my position. He doesn’t really see me as a winger; now I’m more of a striker.

"[Under-18s assistant-coach] Colin Little tells me about how Marcus [Rashford] changed and he has helped me too as he was a striker with Crewe Alexandra and Altrincham and other clubs. He is always helping me and they have made me into more of a striker nowadays, with a different mindset.

"You’ve got to be hungry for goals. Before, I was just happy getting the ball, taking people on and passing it and whatever. Now Kieran has got me in the mindset of goals, goals, goals. So I am always in the box now. I used to be more of a winger than striker."

With Bohui also hoping to provide some firepower in Premier League 2, there are reasons to be optimistic ahead of the new campaign, with Dearnley looking to build on six goals in nine starts at Under-18 level last season.

"Josh has done well," said Dearnley. "We’ve been struggling for another striker so maybe if I could have stayed clear of injury, I could have pushed on a bit more, but that’s how it is.

"Obviously, playing against older players you need to change your game up. They are sometimes going to be as fast as you and as strong as you so you’ve got to change your game but keep the same mindset. That doesn’t change. Once you’ve got that, that’s the groundwork sorted. If you keep that mindset throughout your career, you will do well."

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NEIL HOUGH TAKES UP ACADEMY ROLE



Manchester United is delighted to announce that Neil Hough, currently first-team head physiotherapist, has accepted an invitation from the Head of Academy, Nicky Butt, to head up the physiotherapy department in the Academy with immediate effect.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said: "Neil has been with the club since August 1999, first as assistant-head physiotherapist, before working exclusively with the first team from 2006.

"He became first-team head physio in 2014. He brings a wealth of experience to the role and it is a real vote of confidence in the work of Nicky and Nick Cox to restructure the Academy that Neil has agreed to join."

http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2017/Jul/physio-neil-hough-accepts-new-job-with-manchester-united-academy.aspx

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UNITED APPOINT RICKY SBRAGIA



Manchester United is delighted to announce the appointment of Ricky Sbragia as Under-23 manager.

Sbragia, 61, was previously the club's reserves coach from 2002 to 2005, winning the Manchester Senior Cup, the Premier Reserve League North and the Premier Reserve League National Championship in 2005. He went on to coach across all levels with Bolton Wanderers, Sunderland AFC and the Scottish FA.

Nicky Butt said: "Ricky brings a wealth of experience at all levels of football coaching. He has a great track record of developing young talent and is, of course, no stranger to Manchester United.

"Ricky's knowledge and experience will help continue our important and key tradition of blooding young players into the first team. I am delighted Ricky has returned to the club in this important role as we look to continue our development of the Academy."

Ricky Sbragia said: "I couldn't be happier to be back at Manchester United. It’s an exciting time for the club, with a new structure for the Academy and a relatively new set of coaches and management team.

"I am really excited by the challenge of this role, the club has always been at the forefront when it comes to Academy football and I am delighted that the club continues to strive to be the best with its forward-thinking ideas for the future of youth football."

http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2017/Jul/ricky-sbragia-rejoins-manchester-united-for-appointment-as-under-23s-manager.aspx

[Andi Istiabudi]

BARLOW KEEN TO CONTINUE HOT STREAK

Manchester United Under-18s hot-shot Aidan Barlow has admitted he did not want last season to end as he is hard at work at the club's training camp in Austria.

Nobody scored more goals for Kieran McKenna’s side in 2016/17 than the local lad, who broke into the team in the latter part of the season and sparkled in the Merit Group phase, scoring a hat-trick against Newcastle United and two crackers in the draw with Liverpool.

Despite his goal record, the youngster feels he should not be considered a forward. “I’m more of a box-to-box midfielder,” he explained to ManUtd.com. “But I am quite attack minded and capable of scoring goals too.”

Currently enjoying the preparations in Obertraun, the 17-year-old is rightly eager to carry on from where he left off when the new campaign gets under way.

“No, I didn’t want it to end,” he said. “I finished the season strongly, becoming joint-top scorer with Angel [Gomes], and got a call-up to go to the Euros [Under-17 European Championship finals] with England.

“I scored a goal on my international debut [in a 4-0 win over Ukraine] and managed to convert a penalty in the shoot-out in the final. There was a bit of pressure going first but I thought we were unlucky to lose [to Spain]. I just thought I want to keep going, work hard this pre-season and make sure I come back as strongly as I can.

“I just want to push on. It’s my second year and I must become a leader in the team, pushing to break into the Under-23s team. I have been around it before and got a few minutes away to Chelsea last year, which was good experience. That’s why it’s good to have all the Under-18s and Under-23s in Austria so both squads can come together, build relationships and a team spirit.

“The new players have come in and all settled well, even from the first few sessions we have had. It feels like the group could be even stronger this year as we have a lot of options with all different types of players. We’ve all got to work together to get each other through pre-season so we can start the campaign strongly and go on from there.”

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[Andi Istiabudi]

SBRAGIA HONOURED TO BE BACK AT UNITED

Ricky Sbragia says he is honoured to be back at Manchester United as the club's new Under-23 coach.

In his first interview since rejoining the Reds, the Scot discussed his role in depth with MUTV at the team's training camp in Obertraun, Austria.

Sbragia was previously Reserves coach between 2002 and 2005 and has since been with Sunderland, taking interim charge for the 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford when Nemanja Vidic hit a late winner in 2008, Bolton Wanderers and Scotland's national set-up.

"It's been great to come to Austria and meet the squad," he said. "I'm also meeting the Under-18s but am getting familiar with the Under-23s. I know Tommy [Martin] and quite a few of the staff so it's really enjoyable.

"It hasn't been too much hard work adjusting to what they want and I'm really pleased to be here again. The pitches are excellent, the weather has been fantastic and we've had thunderstorms around 5pm and 6pm, which help the pitch to get wet again. The accommodation is good and the players have enjoyed it. There are no distractions but enough to do as well during a bit of downtime.

"We couldn't have come to a better place and it's probably the best place I've been to in all my time in football."

The 61-year-old has built up a wealth of experience within the game and is thankful for the opportunity to coach so many promising talents.

"I've been fortunate," he said. "Very lucky. Obviously I left Manchester United and, looking back, I looked at it as just an opportunity of having a first-team coach's job. I'm from a massive council area in Glasgow and could never have dreamed that. In a sense, it was very sad to leave United but I kept a lot of good friends here. I kept in touch with them and gained a lot of experience along the way.

"International football has been exceptional for me but, if anything, I did miss the everyday involvement and having a squad and unit to work with. It's fantastic to get this opportunity and I thank Nicky [Butt] and John [Murtough], the people at Manchester United, for bringing me back. I don't feel like I've been away.

"I love it. It's a great club. It's always been a great club. I was really honoured to come in 2002 and I'm honoured again to be asked to come in. Not many people get that opportunity. When Nicky spoke to me, there were no thoughts, it was just: 'Okay, fine, yeah.' It was just a matter of time, like everything else.

"The difference now is everything is greater, with more personnel and more players. It's fantastic to be back and it is a great place to work as well."

Watch exclusive interviews with Sbragia, Nicky Butt and Kieran McKenna, plus more insight from the camp in Obertraun, during Academy & Reserves: Season Preview, on MUTV, the MUTV app and mutv.com at 18:30 BST on Friday.

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[Andi Istiabudi]

TOSIN KEHINDE HAS A CLEAR GOAL AT UNITED

Manchester United midfielder Tosin Kehinde has set his sights on a regular place in the Under-23 side this season, ahead of the first pre-season friendly at Salford City tonight [Wednesday].

The 19-year-old made nine starts for the Reserves in 2016/17, with a further 12 substitute appearances, and scored once - in the 5-3 defeat to Derby County in February.

Ricky Sbragia takes charge of the team for the first time in the Moor Lane fixture, kick-off 19:30 BST, with a full match report to follow on ManUtd.com.

"It was a bit up and down," Kehinde said of last term. "I didn't start all the games but I was involved a lot. I was involved in the majority of the games so I was happy with that.

"For me, this season, it's just about really securing a place in the starting line-up as often as possible and trying to do my best to progress as a player.

"We did finish on quite a good run of results last year and we're trying to take it into this season. I expect us to do better than last year, especially with the group of players who have come up now from the Under-18s. It gives us a more rounded squad that is better balanced as we were quite short last year.

"Everyone will push each other and raise each other's games during the season and I think it will pay off for us. I'm looking forward to it."

Kehinde has been hard at work during the close season as he bids to impress Sbragia and reach peak fitness in time for the big kick-off.

"It's been tough introduction back into things," he said. "But it will all pay off in the end.

"I did expect it. I tried to do some stuff over the summer just to brace myself for what I thought would be coming but, yeah, it's still quite hard. I would say, even though I did a bit, it was still quite a shock to the system. But I did some work away from the club and here [at the Aon Training Complex] and that's always important.

"I think that it's best you get in as good a shape as you can to get yourself in before you get back. It's always better as, if you haven't done anything, you'd really struggle."

The players are just back from a successful stay in Austria at a pre-season training camp, with preparations for 2017/18 continuing with friendlies against Salford and Oldham Athletic.

"I think it's a good idea," he said of the Obertraun experience. "It's important we're all together as we were trying to a make it a whole Academy trip and it's good for the younger ones to see how hard it is physically."

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[Andi Istiabudi]

SALFORD CITY 2 UNITED UNDER-23S 2

Pre-season friendly | Moor Lane | Scorers: Maynard 31, Burton 35 | Gribbin 67, Scott 81

Manchester United’s Under-23s got their pre-season preparations under way, as Ricky Sbragia was back at the helm after a break of almost 12 years, with a game against nearby Salford City of the National League.

United looked very smart in their brand new adidas-designed kit, which is the traditional red shirts, white shorts and black shorts. Salford City, took the field wearing all-blue, but with no numbering which, to say the least, made identification a trifle difficult.

Sbragia was United’s Reserves team boss, in collaboration with Brian McClair, for almost three highly successful years between 2002 and 2005.

Salford started brightly and a couple of shots warmed Kieran O’Hara’s hands in the United goal, but it wasn’t too long before Matty Willock’s shot from outside the area provided the home keeper, Max Crocombe, with his first real work of the evening.

In the 15th minute, Salford’s Michael Nottingham was presented with a great opportunity to put his side in front, but his shot fizzed past O’Hara’s right-hand post.

It was once stated that Salford is the biggest city in England without a team in the top four divisions of the English game. Whether that remains the case requires confirmation, with Wakefield another contender, but one thing is now certain and it is that this Greater Manchester borough has now a club of which to be proud.

There can be no doubt that Salford City possess the ambition and appetite, (also a stadium being re-developed to a high standard), to progress and move confidently up the pyramid. And, as if to add weight to that prediction the home side proceeded to grab two goals, from Lois Maynard and Scott Burton, in the space of four minutes.

Their goals were greeted by cheers from the locals and an almighty downpour from the darkening skies. Heavy rain had been forecast and the deluge certainly fit that description with something to spare. Fortunately, it was quite a brief shower.

Clever footwork followed by a low shot from Cameron Borthwick-Jackson on the edge of the Salford area almost brought a goal back for the Reds but the ball went inches wide.

Both teams had more heavy rain to contend with in the second half, but they continued to put on an entertaining contest for the crowd which, fortunately, was all under cover.

United made six substitutions during the second half and it was one of those, Callum Gribbin who put the Reds back in the game after 67 minutes with a long-range effort that substitute keeper Tony Aghayere failed to hold.

And, nine minutes from time, two more players who had joined the action after the break combined to put United level.

DJ Buffonge made the running down the left and his pinpoint pass found Charlie Scott, who completed the move with the sweetest of finishes.

United: O’Hara (Johnstone); Riley (Olosunde), Warren, Williams (Gribbin), Borthwick-Jackson ; Dearnley (Sang), Willock, Redmond, Kehinde (Buffonge); Hamilton, Bohui (Scott).

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[Andi Istiabudi]

UNITED ACADEMY CONTINUES TO LEAD THE WAY

Manchester United's famous Academy continues to lead the way among English clubs, with a new report showing that our youth set-up made the single biggest contribution to Premier League football in 2016/17.

According to a study carried out by the Press Association, players who came through the ranks at Old Trafford mustered more than twice as many minutes in last year's top flight than representatives from any other side.

For the Reds' Head of Academy, Nicky Butt, it's another indicator that the club is continuing to move in the right direction, with as many as 10 graduates appearing for the first team last term.

“It’s a great sign that we’re doing things the right way," he said, in an interview with ManUtd.com on Friday. "It’s a massive pat on the back to the people who have been here and doing the hard work over the course of the last 15 or 20 years. Now, we’ve got to keep doing it. We have to keep the same regime and move on.

"It’s important to develop ourselves and we always have to step forward. Sir Alex [Ferguson] was the best at that, he never stood still or got into a comfort zone. You keep those morals, but you also keep adding things and keep putting your mind towards improving."

Despite the Academy's well-documented successes, Butt says he and his staff won't get carried away, and is confident that current methods will continue to bear fruit in the coming years.

“There are no targets," he added. "We just want to work hard and get some of the older ones as close to the first team as possible. For the younger ones, it’s about stepping stones, getting them from A to B and not going too far, too soon.

"There’s no rush; some of them are still babies really - 14, 15 or 16 years old. They’re doing well, they’re on the pathway, but there’s a long way to go and that’s the most important thing. There’s a science to it, there’s a way to do it, and we believe we’re the best at it. With that report coming out earlier this week, it backs that up, and it’s great."

United's line-up for the penultimate Premier League game of the 2016/17 campaign, against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford, was the club's youngest-ever in the top-flight, with an average age of 22 years and 284 days.

Jose Mourinho handed four players their maiden first-team starts, while Angel Gomes came off the bench to become our youngest-ever Premier League player.

“It does give the players confidence to see players given chances in the first team," Butt explained. "We all like the superstars: the Pogbas, the Zlatans, the Lukakus – we love the players that come into the club.

"We’ve seen them over the years: Cantona, Veron, Ferdinand, Keane, all record-breaking transfers. Rooney is another. We love all of these players that help up become champions and the best in the world, but we also need players coming through our system as well."

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[Andi Istiabudi]

YOUNG REDS IN NORTHERN IRISH ACTION

Manchester United will kick off the SuperCupNI tournament this weekend, reviving links with the competition formerly known as the Milk Cup.

A number of huge Reds stars have participated in the event in the past - including members of the Class of 92, Marcus Rashford and Andreas Pereira - and the current Under-18s team will take on their Northern Ireland counterparts in Coleraine on Saturday evening (kick-off 17:00 BST).

Coach Kieran McKenna, who competed in the Milk Cup during his playing days, is delighted to be returning to his homeland, before a younger age group (for 2002 birthdays) compete in the main competition next week.

"It's fantastic and something we've been in discussion with the organisers over how we could make it work for the club to go back," McKenna told MUTV. "It was about which format worked best and we decided on a one-off challenge game against the Northern Ireland national side.

"It should work really well for both parties and we're all excited to go there. We know the tradition the club has there and it's a great occasion, we've a good fanbase, and it's exciting for the younger age group too."

New boy Ethan Galbraith already has a winner's medal from 2014 when he won the Under-13s final with Northern Ireland, but it will be a first taste of the competition for the current squad.

United's Academy operations manager Nick Cox explained: "Obviously, we’ve got a real close affinity to the competition. We were one of the founding teams and have strong relationships and links with that part of the world.

"We have a strong fanbase and a history of players who came from Northern Ireland to play for the club. I think, a couple of years back, and rightly so, the competition didn’t serve the purpose we needed it to. First and foremost, it’s a wonderful competition but the most important thing is to make sure our players have the right programme in place ahead of anything else.

"It didn’t quite fit with regards the squads we had and other opportunities became available. This year, the Under-18s are going over to take part in a one-off showcase game and kick the tournament off on the Saturday night before the competition starts on Monday with the opening parade on Sunday.

"It’s a showcase fixture and we’ll take a strong youth team to play Northern Ireland’s youth team. It’ll be played in Coleraine in front of what we hope will be a large crowd. Everyone in Northern Ireland has an interest in one of those teams, if not both, and it’s brilliant to kind of end the first phase of pre-season for the young players who will have worked their way up to a 90-minute game.

"They’d have had a lot of development games, friendly-type games and this will be the first one in a challenging environment with a crowd and they’re under a bit of pressure because it feels like there is something at stake.

"It’ll be a good barometer to where we are at that stage of the pre-season and is our preferred involvement this year, rather than taking a group and be over there for a week as we know Austria was a fantastic opportunity and there are a couple of other opportunities for that group with different types of opposition. Variety is key in terms of experiencing different countries, cultures and different opponents. So we’re really looking forward to that."

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[Andi Istiabudi]

U18S: NORTHERN IRELAND 0 UNITED 1

Manchester United made a winning return to the Milk Cup, now known as SuperCupNI, after a two-year absence, as the Under-18s defeated Northern Ireland 1-0 in a showcase game.

The Coleraine fixture was settled by Nishan Burkart's early opener, although Stephen Frail's side had chances to redress the balance in the second half.

Over 2,000 fans saw the stars of the future as Kieran McKenna, who played in the tournament in his youth, selected Under-23 squad members Theo Richardson and Callum Whelan in his starting XI. Dutch forward Millen Baars also featured after clearance was received for him to start his Reds career.

After nine minutes, Whelan played the ball into the area where Swiss striker Burkart swept a clinical finish into the corner of the net for what proved to be the only goal of the game.

Brandon Williams was one of several players replaced in the second half after an exceptional performance, while Daniel Reynolds was off target in the closing seconds with the final of a number of opportunities for Northern Ireland. Captain Whelan lifted the trophy at the end to warm applause after a disciplined display by the young Reds.

United are also entering a team in next week's junior tournament as part of the prestigious competition.

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