Nothin' With Kids II?

As the Summer ran on and no signings were made the same calls we have heard so often came again, "Fergie needs to go!", "He's lost it!". We are talking about the same manager who for twenty years has held Manchester United at the pinnacle of football, top of England, top of Europe and yet these same calls come. Tell me who would have got Manchester United within 8 points of Chelsea last season?, Yes I know second isn't enough but with the injuries, squad, personnel, etc that he had it was some achievement.

For the past three seasons though it's been expected because our main players, the heart and soul of the team, the Treble winners, were coming to an end. From 2004-2006 it's been a time of transition, out with the old and in with the new.

But there is no new I hear you say! Well my pedigree chums there are. For the past two seasons whilst the first team have been struggling to win the league and having to do with successful cup runs I've been watching our reserves and keeping tabs on the players that are to take Manchester United forward. Now our reserves have won the Quadruple in 2004-05 and the Treble in 2005-06. That's some feat for a group of players who have had to deal with management changes, players going out on loan and players being played just to gain fitness e.g. Heinzé & Solskjaer. I've been raving about our players for a while and when I saw the line ups last night for Celtic, I had the utmost confidence in them beating the Scottish Champions, even though Celtic had their full team out!

It was amazing to hear how our players had come through the ranks and the way Ferguson wants them raised. Playing the same style, formation, tactics, etc from youth to reserves to firsts, allowing the players to be demoted/promoted with ease and no difficulty in understanding how things work. These players (Reserves and Firsts) train together, eat together, socialise together week in, week out which is the reason Ferguson attracted youngsters of the calibre of Guiseppe Rossi and Gerard Piqué.

This youth side has a spine, mixture of British talent with the odd overseas player who has been raised in the true United way. Here I'll give a taster of what to expect:

Ben Foster (GK): Young goalkeeper who Fergie snatched from Stoke after watching him on loan in a LDV Cup Final whilst watching his son, Darren. Ben Foster was excellent in helping Watford gain promotion and in his four games in pre-season has kept four clean sheets (obviously excluding the penalty shootout), in the game versus Celtic last night he made three outstanding saves and everything is pointing to a bright future for the lad.

Phillip Bardsley (RB): Bardsley, a Salford-born lad, is the natural replacement for Gary Neville. Strong, no nonsense and as Neville, never really has an outstanding game but is always consistently good. Last season when Red Nev was out injured he stepped into his boots comfortably, playing in the CL & Premier League, with ease that was never expected of the lad.

Jonny Evans (CB): Scored the first goal last night, but he's not about that. Sir Alex Ferguson has likened him to everybody's favourite pundit, Alan Hansen. Cool and calm on the ball and unlike Alan Hansen likes to get in the box whenever there's a sniff of a goal. Had United's first team not been blessed with Rio, Wes, Vida and Piqué this boy would have been in their next season.

David Jones (CM): Apart from Piqué and Rossi he's my favourite of the bunch. Out on loan last season at Preston NE and NEC Nimijen he impressed massively. A box-to-box midfielder with strength, eye for a pass and a goal and is handy when tracking back, I've said on here already that given the chance he will prove to be United's equivalent of Steven Gerrard, and Sir Alex has also sent a message out of how highly he is regarded by telling Jonesy he is in the first team next season.

Lee Martin (LM): Played on the left of midfield last night and impressed thoroughly. Loved having a crack, and despite his first shot going out for a throw in he was close with the others. Quick, clever, skillful and all in all a defender's nightmare.

Guiseppe Rossi (FW): We all know about this boy, the Italian-American who signed for United from Parma. He's a clever footballer and Sir Alex has said he's "the most natural finisher at the Club", considering at the time United had Van Nistelrooy, Scholes and Rooney it's some statement to make. Top goalscorer for the last two seasons in the Reserves' League and with Van Nistelrooy set for a move to Spain it's time for the Italian Stallion to step forward.

That's just six players there, but I could have named another six (Eagles, McShane, Simpson, Gibson, Campbell, etc), but you also have to consider that the likes of Ronaldo, Rooney, Richardson, Fletcher, Brown, Vida, Ferdinand, Piqué, etc are in the age range or youthful themselves that could grow with them to form another formidable Fergie era.

Of course we will need to sign players, as I understand it Michael Carrick is done and dusted, to keep up with Chelsea we will need to. But, take a look at that youth and you see a group that love United and will do anything to be successful at United - not a Obi-Mikel in sight!

When Sir Alex Ferguson said that he would be happy to go into next season with the squad he has and that the fans would be happy. Well, I believed him and I was happy, yes we need to sign one or two players but I'd be confident that with luck with injuries that squad would be able to claim what's rightfully ours and next May 2007 Manchester United would have their trophy back!

I'm sure Ferguson had his critics back in 1996, when he started a game versus Aston Villa with players like Giggs, Neville, Scholes and Beckham & O'Kane coming off the bench. We lost the game 3-1 and Alan Hansen's famous quote came about. I can imagine the critics now, "What's Fergie doing, that Scottish bloke off MOTD is right!". So my friends I come to ask you, what did Sir Alex Ferguson and his "kids" achieve that year? Thank you.

Don't right off United, Don't right off Fergie because Manchester United will get their trophy back!

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May I also use this opportunity to say Thank You & Good Luck to Ruud van Nistelrooy. The United legend is on the verge of a move to Spanish club Real Madrid, where he will team up with another United legend David Beckham. I look forward to seeing them both teaming up again, it's a shame it couldn't be at Old Trafford!