Adam Dennehey WAFU manager
Over the years the crème de la crème of European football’s top clubs have been criticised for poaching young talent not only from abroad but from smaller clubs in their own domestic leagues. This has happened for years, believe it or not.
Of course this is just parcel and parcel in today’s football and clubs who are not challenging for major trophies will know that their job – aside from aiming to challenge for trophies or get up into a higher league – is to bring on young players and sell them on.
Manchester United over the years are not used to selling or losing out on young talent, especially talent that the club has nurtured for several years. But for every talented player in the reserves, there are always a number of players that are sold or released who do go on and secure good careers for themselves elsewhere.
Ravel Morrison’s departure in the January transfer-window to West Ham United was somewhat self-inflicted with the talented forward moving on due to believed disciplinary problems. Paul Pogba’s departure to Juventus has been on the cards for the last year or so and he was clearly a player the club would have wanted to hold onto.
Ezekiel Fryers it seems is about to become Andre Villas-Boas’ second signing for Spurs amid rumours that the teen anger who made 6 first-team appearances for United last season has decided against signing a new contract.
It will be a blow to lose Fryers who looks a natural defender with a lot of potential to a fellow Premier League club, especially as with Fabio going out on-loan to QPR; it will leave only one senior left-back at the club in Patrice Evra.
However if Fryers feels that he has got more of a chance of playing regularly at Spurs who will face tweaks to their squad under Villas-Boas then you can understand his reason in wanting to leave. Yes an increase in his wages may come into it but a playing career is short but if he feels that he can play more there (and not just in Carling Cup ties) then who can really blame him.
He is unlikely to get in ahead of Evra and in all likelihood when the Frenchman moves on, the club will bring in an experienced left-back (possibly Everton’s Leighton Baines) to either replace him or challenge with Fabio for the left-back position.
Of course Spurs have an excellent left-back in Benoit Assou-Ekotto who has excelled playing behind Gareth Bale so Fryers is unlikely to start if he does move down south. At the very least he will gain experience coming of the bench or perhaps going out on loan, so in the short-term he won’t benefit much from leaving Old Trafford. But he could perhaps in the long-term, only time will tell.
By Adam Dennehey @ADennehey87
What an totally measured and sane response, in total contrast to the rabid rantings of your want to be rivals from Mersyside over Sigurðsson. Very pleasant to read, also very true. Hard to see why he chose Spurs, think it can only be money or some perceived wrong? Given what you have said about his options it makes even more curious. Think he will struggle to oust BAE in the PL.
Why are all these kids leaving Man Utds youth teams? The three that have left all seem to of had a bit of attitude i wonder whats gone on!
Agree with the first reply too, nicely written.
As a Spurs supporter I found your article very honest and refreshing in contrast to Liverpools ranting sour grapes.
Well done.
BAE is a good left-back and much improved, but was perhaps one of our weakest players last year. His understudy, Danny Rose, is definitely not of Premier League standard, so a good young player who can surpass both will do well at Spurs. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get over 20 starts in the coming season.
This is probably the only non Spurs blog I read so I commend you for your balanced opinions. He is disillusioned if he thinks he will get more regular games with Spurs. I'd day they will loan him out as soon as. I do find it odd that we got him though. This doesn't happen very often.
it would seem AVB is a coach that likes bringing youth towards the first team and weve got europa league to contest which we will undoubtably play young players im actually looking forward to thursday nights
Excellent piece…. perhaps he is worried being part of the NYC Stock Market! seriously it is good to see young talent being put around the PL …. we need all the help we can get so thanks if he does sign!
I'd imagine he would be first choice left back for Europa, there are a lot of games for us this season so if avb rotates the squad properly then bae and fryers should both get plenty of games.