Manchester United hero Gary Neville makes bold statement about the club
By Bence Bocsak
Former Manchester United defender and now Sky Sports pundit, Gary Neville, has recently made a bold statement about the Red Devils.
Alongside Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, Gary Neville was the ultimate ‘Mr Manchester United’ at Old Trafford. The Red Devils favourite could be relied on to battle ferociously on the Old Trafford turf. Neville would give it his blood, sweat and tears for Man United to succeed.
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Since leaving Old Trafford, Gary Neville has embarked on various ventures. From management to punditry. It seems the former right-back is more suited to the latter rather than the former.
Gary Neville’s knowledge about the game is tremendous and his expert analysis as well as banter with rival Jamie Carragher has often been one of the bright spark of Sky Sports’ football coverage.
Having honed his skills in the club’s academy, Neville understands United to the core. And speaking to Sky Sports, the former Red Devils’ hero made a bold statement about the future of the club.
Neville told Sky Sports via Goal that:
"“Manchester United can never play without academy players in its first team squad. It is far too important a value to drop and that was something born out of the 1950s.”"
The statement is a bold one to make, considering more and more clubs are opting away from playing academy players and instead are favouring making moves for youngsters from abroad or other domestic teams.
However, Neville’s statement is one that should be adhered to at Old Trafford. The academy and bringing through youth players is a rich tradition for the Red Devils.
It was pioneered during the birth of Matt Busby’s reign and was rekindled and revamped under Sir Alex Ferguson.
At the core of United’s successful teams, academy players have often been the foundations. Take Neville’s fellow Class of 92 members or the ‘Busby Babes’ who were led by the likes of Bobby Charlton and George Best as an example.
Youth is at the essence of the club, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is certainly trying to bed that into the side once more.
Under the Norwegian’s reign, academy products like Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay have thrived, meanwhile the likes of Brandon Williams and Mason Greenwood have broken through the ranks too and look to be mainstays in the side for many years to come.
One can only hope, Gary Neville’s statement rings true, no matter how bold and that the club’s rich tradition continues for many more decades to come. With Solskjaer under the helm, the club is in the right place.
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Who is your favourite Man United academy product?