Nemanja Vidic encouraged patience from Manchester United supporters and coaches for this season’s breakthrough debutants.
Numerous Manchester United starlets have made first team debuts under Louis van Gaal, but Nemanja Vidic has cautioned against rushing the youngsters.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Marcus Rashford, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, and Guillermo Varela are the most notable of the young players to have made their first senior start this campaign. But there have been numerous others, with the retired Serbian international mainly commenting on the defensive players.
The full-back positions have been somewhat of rotating doors this season, with injuries and poor form in the senior team gifting reserves players opportunities. In truth, some of the young players have actually been brighter than their older counterparts, albeit in briefer spells with lesser expectations.
But this crop of defensive prospects looks to be incredibly bright. Speaking to MUTV, Vidic expressed his concern about their development:
"“I think it’s more difficult for defenders, especially when you have three or four of them playing together in the same match. For the young players who come in up front, you need that energy, imagination, happiness… you can let them play and be more free, but, in defence, I think you need someone who can lead these young boys.”“United have always brought youngsters into the team and of course they have ability, they have shown that in the games they’ve played but, when you want to win the trophies, you have to patient with them. You have to give them the right matches, develop them slowly so you can think about keeping them there for many years.”"
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The timing is interesting when considering that Van Gaal had made comments in Friday’s press conference about Fosu-Mensah’s preferable position. The manager pointed out that young players must fill in the holes in the first team, potentially sacrificing their own development for the benefit of the club.
Phil Jones’s career began in a similar manner with matches across the back four and in the holding midfield. Ultimately, in conjunction with several serious injuries, his versatility proved to be a hindrance as he never settled into one position where he could develop fully.
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The expectations for Manchester United also make it difficult to include young players without too much pressure on their shoulders. Commenting on that point, Vidic said:
"“It’s a longer process not just for the defenders but even for attackers. You have to be careful how you develop them. You have to accept that Manchester United always need to win trophies and when the club don’t, players have to accept some criticism and that can be hard for the younger ones to take. They need some experienced players to take that weight off their backs.”"
In years past, academy players usually made first team appearances in fewer numbers, more along the lines of one or two per season. This campaign has seen double digit players make their debuts, and for the most part they’ve had to perform given the weight on the team to finish in the top four and win a trophy.
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In an ideal world, the reserves players would have had a smoother transition to the senior team, with sporadic matches in low pressure situations giving them a taste. But this season has been far from ideal. Thankfully, several players have overcome adversity and showcased their enormous potential. It’s now up to the coaching staff to promote their development.