jay_mcfc said:
Wasn't even the funniest thing in the interview. The drunk trying to explain the potential in his squad because 14 of his players were under 22 was hilarious. I'd love to see a list of those 14 players as off the top of my head Nani will be aright as will Hernandez but the rest are pure dog shit!
and the other 13 will all be over 30 by start of next season, with 4 over 35 if their contracts are renewed. Half their squad will be 33+ in 3 years time and that includes all their "stars".
Why don't any of these media arse-lickers see this, the scum have about 3-4 good (not great) PL players in mid 20's, the rest are either approaching veteran status (or over 35) or under 22 with <10 games under their belt. Of the middle age range only Valencia, Nani, Fletcher and (possibly) the mexican are currently decent PL standard and none are what anyone would call top CL standard players.
Does anyone really believe if Fergie had the cash he wouldn't have been buying some established low-mid 20's for £18-25m to refresh the squad on an annual basis especially after losing Tevez & Ronaldo in quick succession.
How many of this potential he claims to be so great at finding have come though the U18's and reserves and cemented a 1st team position in the last 10 years, Fletcher (maybe Rafael) and that's it. All the rest have ended up at Sunderland or other clubs. With that track record he's going to get at the most 2 1st teamers from the current crop. Most of his current under-21's are going to end up at Sunderland, Bolton etc for £5m like the rest over the last 10 years.
The "golden" generation of Beckham, Scholes, Giggs, Nevilles, Butt - (any more?) which allowed them to focus on only having to buy half a team for 6-10 years only comes around once in every 50-100 years and personally I think he's dreaming if he thinks he has the same calibre in his current youth ranks.
Fergies claim to fame is not that he develops 1st team players from the youth team, virtually none since the Scholes/Giggs era, he spunks out £27m - Rooney, £18m - Ronaldo, £14m - Nani on "wonderkids" who obviously have great potential. I'll give him that he can spot those but he's also got a few wrong or ended up letting them go - Pique, Rossi, Tosic to name but a few.