Charlie McNeil

I spoke to his Dad about three weeks ago and he hadn’t left then. He also told me that he wouldn’t be going abroad and that the RB Leipzig stuff was nonsense. He said that if he was to move he had had offers from teams in the Premier league but he didn’t mention United.
He announced his departure on instagram 6-7 weeks ago though, I’ve not spoken to any of his family members so you probably know a lot more than I do
 
Presumably because it's their job?
Yeah but all kids progress at different levels and ages. If that wasn’t the case players like Stuart Pearce and Ian Wright wouldn’t have made it and we’re snapped up in their twenties. Take a player like SWP he was let go by Nottingham Forest and the rest is history. So sometimes they can get it wrong. I do know that City were offering Charlie a contract so they must of thought there was something there.
 
Yeah but all kids progress at different levels and ages. If that wasn’t the case players like Stuart Pearce and Ian Wright wouldn’t have made it and we’re snapped up in their twenties. Take a player like SWP he was let go by Nottingham Forest and the rest is history. So sometimes they can get it wrong. I do know that City were offering Charlie a contract so they must of thought there was something there.

Was a 4 year deal,just after he signed a 6 year contract with Adidas......a 4 year deal with no pathway,and was asked if he'd fancy going to Lille on loan......personally i think they have done the right thing.

I mean Charlie and his family.
 
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Yeah but all kids progress at different levels and ages. If that wasn’t the case players like Stuart Pearce and Ian Wright wouldn’t have made it and we’re snapped up in their twenties. Take a player like SWP he was let go by Nottingham Forest and the rest is history. So sometimes they can get it wrong. I do know that City were offering Charlie a contract so they must of thought there was something there.
I know they go in to ridiculously fine detailed, long term planning with everything mapped out. Perhaps he's just not in their thinking as the best option, they have all of his metrics for the last 5(?) years so are in the best position to judge. Perhaps he hasn't improved as much as hoped as the other kids have caught up to him physically (he looked huge at 12 years old)?

Nobody gets it right 100% of the time of course. As far as I'm aware they'll always be honest with the youngsters and try and help with their futures. Maybe that's why they offered a contract so they could find him somewhere rather than him just leaving?

All pure speculation on my part as I know the name and that's it.
 
I am in no way itk regarding our young players, but I do wonder if some youngsters have seen the success Jadon Sancho has had, and assumed that they can be as successful by making similar moves ?

Obviously the people at the club see them regularly and make judgements from their observations, but there does seem to be more and more young players who seem impatient for places within the more senior ranks - how realistic or not are such expectations ?

This is not a swipe at McNeil btw and if City offered him a contract , they presumably do see potential .
 
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I know they go in to ridiculously fine detailed, long term planning with everything mapped out. Perhaps he's just not in their thinking as the best option, they have all of his metrics for the last 5(?) years so are in the best position to judge. Perhaps he hasn't improved as much as hoped as the other kids have caught up to him physically (he looked huge at 12 years old)?

Nobody gets it right 100% of the time of course. As far as I'm aware they'll always be honest with the youngsters and try and help with their futures. Maybe that's why they offered a contract so they could find him somewhere rather than him just leaving?

All pure speculation on my part as I know the name and that's it.

They brought in a few kids fro London and Spain....dunno if that had a bearing on Charlie's future.
 
I know they go in to ridiculously fine detailed, long term planning with everything mapped out. Perhaps he's just not in their thinking as the best option, they have all of his metrics for the last 5(?) years so are in the best position to judge. Perhaps he hasn't improved as much as hoped as the other kids have caught up to him physically (he looked huge at 12 years old)?

Nobody gets it right 100% of the time of course. As far as I'm aware they'll always be honest with the youngsters and try and help with their futures. Maybe that's why they offered a contract so they could find him somewhere rather than him just leaving?

All pure speculation on my part as I know the name and that's it.
But we offered him a contract so they must think there is something to build on.
 
Was a 4 year deal,just after he signed a 6 year contract with Adidas......a 4 year deal with no pathway,and was asked if he'd fancy going to Lille on loan......personally i think they have done the right thing.

I mean Charlie and his family.
All his family want is what they believe is right for Charlie.
 
All his family want is what they believe is right for Charlie.
And why wouldn't they, just for the record I honestly believe the same is true from City's perspective. Good luck to the lad whatever he decides, going off his Instagram message he'll leave with no ill feelings and a very good education, on and off the field. Sounds like a very decent lad.
 
And why wouldn't they, just for the record I honestly believe the same is true from City's perspective. Good luck to the lad whatever he decides, going off his Instagram message he'll leave with no ill feelings and a very good education, on and off the field. Sounds like a very decent lad.
His dad said that City have been brilliant putting Charlie and his sister through their education.
 
Delap is only a few months older and is a better prospect.

I’ve got no issues with kids leaving us for whatever reason, but if he’s claiming it’s because he didn’t play for the U18’s enough that’s a bit of a crap reason as a) he was only 15 when the season started and b) he’d presumably be first choice for the U18’s this season when Delap moves to the EDS.

Is Delap really a better prospect?
 
And why wouldn't they, just for the record I honestly believe the same is true from City's perspective. Good luck to the lad whatever he decides, going off his Instagram message he'll leave with no ill feelings and a very good education, on and off the field. Sounds like a very decent lad.
Said it on here previously he’s a lovely grounded lad, if he goes, I for one will be gutted, used to sit with me and my family alongside his uncle watching when he could. But it must always be what’s best for the person themselves and their families. All the best Charlie son.
 
Hopefully he stays, good kids with talent are hard to find. He seems a lovely kid and even if he goes to them (through gritted teeth) i hope his career goes well. Maybe with u18s being short on forwards with delap moving up again he might reconsider. We are now producing world class talents and that should be a major factor.
 

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