Time for the youngsters to get a fair run-out?

Fraizer Campbell
By Chris,
February 18 2008

Manchester United fans will be delighted to hear Sir Alex Ferguson talking up some of the club’s brightest prospects. The Scotsman has been accused of ignoring young talent in recent years with a host of starlets not getting the sort of chances that saw the likes of Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes all rise to prominence.

Despite boasting one of the busiest academy set-ups in the country, United have failed to produce much local talent in recent years.

The team of starlets who famously made Alan Hansel scream “you win nothing with kids” is now largely a memory.

The likes of Neville, Giggs and Scholes remain but United are turning to the transfer market to buy talent and, in line with the rest of the league, are not handing hungry teenagers the chance to progress. It was, therefore, very refreshing to hear Sir Alex talking up some of the club’s young strikers.

When quizzed about his supposed interest in Lyon forward Karim Benzema, Fergie was quick to point out that he is optimistic that the club can turn to the youth team to strengthen the club’s threadbare attacking options in the future.

"Up front is an area we tried to strengthen last summer and I don't think that's left us," Ferguson told the Manchester Evening News

"I have big hopes for Danny Welbeck and he's progressing well but he's young. And we have Fraizer Campbell coming back who has done well at Hull, but he's young as well. We do have big hopes for both players."

Campbell has proved his credentials with an impressive loan spell with Hull. He's already bagged an awesome eight goals with the Tigers from twenty league appearances and is spearheading an unlikely play-off push from the Humberside club.

Meanwhile, Welbeck is clearly a youngster who Ferguson is prepared to blood. At the age of 17, he still has plenty to prove but the youngster has already been compared to the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor and Portsmouth striker Nwankwo Kanu due to his height and powerful approach.

Neither player may make the grade but it’s time that Sir Alex started giving his youth a proper chance again. This doesn’t mean throwing them all out together in a League Cup tie or sending them out countless loan spells. Chris Eagles, for example, is twenty-three this year and is yet to enjoy a proper run of games. His future at Old Trafford certainly looks uncertain despite doing well for Watford and Sheffield Wednesday on loan.

The likes of Tom Heaton, Craig Cathcart and Gerard Pique are other youngsters who have bags of potential and deserve a genuine chance to impress. With the club secretly rooted in debt, our young players could have a crucial role to play in the future of the football club and they should be remembered before the Glazers sign another cheque to sign an over-priced overseas superstar