Source:REUTERS/Phil Noble
[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, Manchester United owner Ratcliffe recently criticized the club’s youth academy on a podcast, stating that it has indeed declined and fallen behind rivals like Manchester City and Liverpool. These comments have caused discontent at the Carrington training ground. It is understood that Manchester United’s youth academy coaching staff and the parents of young players are “perplexed” by Ratcliffe’s criticism, believing it does not reflect the actual situation. One parent revealed that just weeks ago, at a parents’ evening, the club shared survey results showing 80% of parents were satisfied with their children’s development at United. The parent expressed that Ratcliffe’s comments were unhelpful, causing unease among children and parents, and could even lead some families to consider moving to other clubs. Parents generally believe Ratcliffe seems to have his own agenda, while coaches feel hurt and do not understand what he is referring to. In fact, between 2019 and 2024, Manchester United academy players contributed to 25% of the first-team’s playing minutes, second only to Bayern Munich in Europe’s top five leagues, and last season ranked second in the Premier League for minutes given to teenage players.