#1438

Don’t think it’s at all far-fetched to suggest they could sign both Ronaldo and Griezman in the summer. Still think they’d probably finish behind City and Liverpool, but…

#1439

i do hope CR7 returns home though :heart_eyes: one last hurrah for the boy :tada::soccer::tada:

:champagne::champagne::champagne::champagne::champagne:

#1440

I’d have to get a new all-in calculator.

5 Likes
#1441

Clubs are obligated to educate academy players, appoint a teacher qualified Head of Eduction role and to provide pastoral care up until school leavers age.

Whether or not clubs actually do this to a decent level will be very dependent on which club it is, at United one of Fergie’s more underrated qualities was ensuring that youngsters were educated before it was an obligation, this apparently went downhill massively once he left.

2 Likes
#1442

No chance.
Ozil a midfielder and two fullbacks

#1443

But in this case him and the victim seem to be back together (she supported him in court etc) and so maybe terminating his contract would be a bad thing for her too? Definitely a horrible situation to try and navigate.

#1445

Erm, you’re welcome?

#1446

good description of trad bricks as a whole

2 Likes
#1447

Massively overtaken by City (which was happening on his watch towards the end anyway), Nicky Butt is doing a decent job of rebuilding it but in terms of facilities and recruitment it’s a million miles behind what City are doing now.

#1448

haha, mint.

1 Like
#1450

We’re ramping up on the recruitment side but largely by signing players from abroad (Traore, Puigmal etc) can’t see us investing in academy facilities while the Glazers are in charge.

#1451

The Glazers aren’t going to lay on £1bn, which is probably what it would cost. Actually think City’s hoovering up of talent will quite quickly become very counterproductive so United might be well placed to take advantage without huge investment in facilities. Route through to first-team football’s still the most important thing. City’s main advantage is they offer a paid education up until eighteen for every player who signs a contract at any age.

2 Likes
#1452

Quite a few guys from work were given a tour of your academy campus a year or two back and absolutely raved about it, it’s probably the biggest argument in favour of your owners as it’s possible to get tbh, moreso than the trophies.

#1453

Good one!

#1455

sorry it’s a fine institution and you are a credit to it
(this came out shirtier than it was meant to)

#1456

The idea that a club’s academy is solely to produce players for that particular club is a bit of a misnomer tbh, the percentage of academy products that go on to have a career or a professional anywhere is the main thing to gauge with it IMO. (Something that United could be very proud of under Fergie but less so now)

1 Like
#1457

Because it will quite quickly become apparent that there’s no path to first-team football.

Disagree with quite a lot of what goes on at youth level, actually. City are only a byproduct of a rotten system, but they’re taking it to the next level. There needs to be a much fairer compensation system (EPPP’s a farce), stricter limits on scouting, compulsory relationships between regional clubs at different levels, and limits on the amount of players per age group.

2 Likes
#1458

True , but Gerrard was cleared in court, Suarez wasn’t charged legally and Firmino’s crime was (in the eyes of the law) less serious.

Not saying I agree, and fwiw I don’t think Flanagan should be sacked, but you can see why there may be more consideration to it from the owners point of view

#1459

These two should absolutely be requirements

3 Likes
#1460

Reasonable point.