SIR Alex Ferguson is almost ready to unleash his Class of 2007 on the Premiership.
United's youth set-up has produced another batch of talent set to rival the famous Class of '92.
The graduates of that famous 1992 FA Youth Cup-winning side, which included David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Nicky Butt, went on to become mainstays of United's first team.
It is 12 years now since Fergie controversially broke up the 1994 Dream Team and gave those youngsters a chance.
Initial scepticism was replaced with jubilation as United scooped the 1996 double, winning the Premiership and FA Cup.
Now, the United boss is preparing to do the same again.
The Reds have a number of their top young prospects scattered on loan around Europe, but they will return in time for the start of next season to step up the pressure.
And Fergie is excited at the prospect of creating a Class of 2007. "We are very pleased with the young players we have got. We have worked hard," he said.
Exceptional
"We have good coaches and have done well to develop players in the Academy such as Jonny Evans, Craig Cathcart and Darron Gibson. The three Irish boys are exceptionally good."
Central defender Evans is on loan at Roy Keane's Sunderland, and the 19-year-old is a full Northern Ireland international.
Powerful Derry-born 19-year-old midfielder Gibson is on loan at Royal Antwerp - and was in the Republic of Ireland squad for last night's Euro 2008 qualifier against San Marino - while 18-year-old Belfast boy Cathcart is progressing in the reserves.
Fergie added: "We've also got Lee Martin at Stoke at moment. Danny Simpson is at Sunderland and Phil Bardsley is at Aston Villa. It is a good crop.
"Gerard Pique is in Zaragoza's first team every week now in Spain and he has good potential. Giuseppe Rossi is at Parma and scoring goals.
"These are boys with potential at that age, at 19. They give us a future; there is no doubt about that."
The next step towards that future will see them tested in the big time, to find out whether they can shift the seniors.
"What we do with them next year is a big question mark for us, because when you are 19 you can appease them by putting them on loan for a spell," said Sir Alex.
"But once they have had that loan period, they don't want to be on loan forever. They want to come back and get into the first team.
"The question is: how do we view them in terms of first-team positions next season if we decided to bring them on at the same time? I think we will probably do that.
"That will be a challenge for them then, but also a reminder to everyone else that there are players looking to take their position."
Which young players do you expect to make the step up next season? Have your say.
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Probably none cos if any were that close JOS & KR wouldn't get any games in the middle. So we have good coachs & good scouts really well hopefully some evidence of this will emerge. Our young potential first teamers aren't a patch on Arsenal's let's face it.
Manure.
Guess Who's Back
(YNWA)
Hahaha
Non of em cos they'll all be flogged off just like the last batch. This so called class of 2007 will be the debt repayment of 2008.
Always good to hear about young players coming through. I think the players out on loan will be growing as players and if they continue will definitely make an impact on the first team.
Would love to see some talent come out of the youth system because you'd have to wonder why we could get it so right at one time and have nothing since. Players like Bardsley seem to have been around for a long time without breaking through and I just think if they were good enough we'd already have them in the squad as cover. I can see us keeping maybe five or six and loaning or selling the rest on.
Probably none....Fergie is whistling with his eyes closed again. Anyone who thinks DF, JOS and KR have first team potential are nuts...sorry SAF but you've been poorly served by your scouts, coaches and mgmt. Someone needs to take note of what is happening around the league and in Euro with the big clubs...they are pulling talent in from everywhere...not just homegrown/country. We are wasting time and money in self delusion thinking that what was done 15 years ago will be done today....it's a different paradigm. GET WITH IT UNITED MGMT!!!
The biggest obstacle to the progress of these youngsters is the current cut-throat demands for winning the EPL. Such is the standard first set by the Arse and latterly by Chel$ki that we cannot afford the time for these lads to get a first team game and learn by their mistakes. Very few games may now not be won in a season with any hope of gaining the league. Add to that the reluctance to get rid of such occassional substitutes as O'Bese, EIH and now that Scottish player, and even a place on the bench with an outing at 4-0 is impossible.
Derrick, Bournemouth, you have just highlighted the main problem facing these young players nowadays with the expectations to win the league, CL, FA cup and even Carling Cup. It will be nice if the fans can accept the youngsters to be part of the team for the FA cup and Carling cup whatever the results of previous years. However i doubt Fergie will take this risk as he is not happy finishing a season without trophy.
Looking at the list of youngsters just confirms where we are in deep problems which is in midfield in general as we always sign 2 qualities CF every 2 seasons.
I hope our scouting could go out for once and come back with quality young midfield players in either Spain, Portugal, France or Holland.
Unless these lads are given the chance, what's the point talking about them. The last batch were talked up also, don't see any of them around now. Enver, SA rearrange YNWA and all you get is YAWN!!!!!!!
I interpret SAF's comments as an indication that the players returning from loan at the end of this season may be promoted to being the direct first-team back-ups next season. If that means the depature of players like Silvestre, O'Shea, Smith, Richardson and even Ole and Wes, I for one will be happy for the next generation to be given the chance to justify SAF's faith in them.
Its a bit of a catch 22 alright. We need young players but its a big risk to blood them, yet the only way they will develop fully is by playing. I think the loans seem to be working out fairly well, certainly for Pique and Evans. Havent heard much more on Rossi after his first goal - has he scored since? Even though it is tough, if the players are good enough then they have to be thrown in. We've done it before to great success. Over at Arsenal look at how a player like Fabregas has flourished. He was young and small, so it can be done, IF youre good enough.
Birdy - Rossi hasn't played again because of the trouble in Italy.
Sounds like we wont be spending much in the summer. Gibson looks good. Rossi and Pique and Evans will make it big somewhere and I do expect that to be at OT. Not convinced about the rest.
alias a name missing from your departure list need i remind you who it should be?? i would hang on to wes unless someone offers us 10m
Bobbydazzler
Fletcher is going nowhere
I'm with Alias on this - clearly the players we don't rate (O'Shea, Silv, Richardson etc) have been kept to help us while the youngsters gain experience. They'll be off this summer and I find these honest comments about the challenges of promoting the youth very encouraging as they show forward planning IS happening.
Bobby, behave! We can't get shut of the chosen one! However I do agree with Alias. Pique, Bardsley and Rossi will be getting football at the highest level so if they can hold a starting place at their respective teams then they can match or outdo our present 2nd string. Players like Smith, DF, KR etc are going nowhere in footballing terms and a change of personnel would at least freshen things up!
Is it Fletcher? I'd think that all the names mentioned by Alias with the possible exception of JOS(the cat) could be on their way.Some of the young ones like Bardsley are at least ready to be understudies.We perhaps couldn't risk them all at once against mighty opposition.Early season tho against Watford lookalikes might show what they're made of.
Before we talk about resurrecting the class of 92 dont we have to scour all the other clubs firstly and steal the young ones away in the dead of night ! then call them our own. This is a far better scouting system, ok you might have to give one or two back but it worked with gigsy didnt it ?
Hey smith... Are you serious? You wanna get rid of wes brown and ole? You've lost the plot!!! You need to go out and have good time mate, forget about football.. lol.
did you know that City's Academy u/18 side have 23 points than United's u/18 side?
There main chance will be the Carling Cup and FA Cup next season. 2-3 will have rare Premiership starts.
Such comments used to give me a warm fuzzy feeling in the past, but not anymore. John O'Shea and Kieran Richardson have failed to fulfill their potential. A few years ago Fergie assessed the youth squad and said 'Kieran Richardson is going to be a fantastic player'. Last year everyone was waxing lyrical about David Jones, but he was sold to Derby. Wes Brown has also not fulfilled his potential, and if he has any brains he is better off at this stage of his career at a Tottenham or Newcastle. Bardsley was quoted the other day as saying that he wouldn't mind joining Villa. Sorry, but until they fulfill their potential, it looks like most young players don't come through anymore. I do feel that people like Richardson (Fletch has had 2 or 3) would need a full season or two or more to show their real potential, but are losing out to Fergie's loyalty to the likes of Giggs. Does anyone think that Richardson would do worse than Giggs over a half season? Watching such players every odd game or so doesn't allow them to develop and showcase their skills. Call it the Kleberson syndrome.
No BD, there's nobody missing from Alias's list. I, for one, would love to see Fletcher start every single match. He's come along nicely this season. He'll still have a big say in this year's title race. Watch and see. As for the new youngsters, well if we win the title this season then perhaps we can afford to try out in 2007-08.
If this lot are going to get near first team then the likes of KR, MS, AS and DF need to be moved on. All have had ample chances to establish themselves and none of them have, if not pushing for 1st team start then kick em out! Rossi, Evans and possibly Gibson can make the grade, provided they get first team experience!