The legendary Red Devils coach: The road to success

Chapter 49: Youth Training Fire

"Ferguson believes that in order to build a competitive team, we must rely on the youth training system as the foundation. If a team wants to prosper, it must attach importance to passing on the spirit and tradition of the team through youth training and put youth training first in team building."

--Inscription

Ferguson's third move at the Red Devils came as a surprise to many people, as he turned his focus to youth training.

On the first day Ferguson arrived at the Red Devils, he began to inquire about the youth training. Ferguson and his assistant coach Norris went to talk to Harrison, who was the youth training camp coach at the time, which made the youth training director a little overwhelmed. Harrison said: "Ferguson attaches extraordinary importance to youth training, but at that time I felt that he was too involved in it and just regarded himself as a youth training camp coach."

The conversation between Ferguson and Harrison was not pleasant at the beginning. The more Harrison listened, the more he felt uncomfortable. "I have always been proud of the Red Devils youth training camp. This is the Red Devils youth training camp that cultivated Charlton and Best. Now we also have stars like Mark Hughes and Whiteside, but Ferguson doesn't seem satisfied."

Ferguson said, "Is the Red Devils' youth training camp good? What talents are there now? Whiteside? This is not enough. Mark Hughes has left and we can't count on him now. Now tell me who else from the youth training camp can enter the first team?"

"Lee Martin? Or Robbins?"

After Ferguson took over as coach, he went to watch the training match between the Red Devils youth team and Burnley. After the game started, the Red Devils youth team quickly took the lead 1:0, and these little guys began to pass the ball easily and patiently dealt with the opponent.

Norris suddenly burst into the coaching booth and shouted angrily at Harrison: "Is your team participating in a game show? Why don't the forwards shoot in the penalty area? Why don't they fight for the ball? Why don't they run faster? Why don't they attack? What on earth are they doing? If they don't want to play anymore, the boss said they can all get out!"

Harrison was also angry: "Do you have the final say on how to play? Which military regulations say that? We are winning the game, and the kids are completely dominating their opponents. Why don't you allow them to play like this?"

Norris retorted, "This is not a youth team, but an old man's team. I said we should attack. A youth team that doesn't attack or shoot is nothing! It's a rotten team, all shit! Aberdeen Youth Team can beat you 6:0!"

Norris waved a red flag in front of a bull and threw a video of the Aberdeen youth team's game to Harrison, "Take a good look at it, this is the level that a youth team should have!"

The critical hit from the videotape was so strong that Harrison almost dropped his eyeballs in shock. "Oh my god, there really is someone who can build such a strong youth team!"

Ferguson and Harrison quickly re-planned and managed the affairs of the youth training camp.

Ferguson completely changed the working mode of the Red Devils youth training, from waiting for people to come to the door to looking for people to train. He required the establishment of a new scouting system, a large number of additional personnel, and the establishment of a scouting network. Ferguson required the coaches and scouts of the Red Devils youth team to go deep into various communities and primary and secondary schools to actively discover seedlings. Ferguson called on everyone in the club to recommend young players for trial training.

Ferguson led by example, walking the streets, actively connecting with the community, reaching out to school sports departments, and taking time to have dinner with parents of young players to attract their children to join the Red Devils.

Ferguson sent youth team coaches to "coach" community boy and youth football teams, hoping to discover the target first.

Ferguson's enthusiasm for discovering young players is admirable. After get off work, he and his assistants run around, from amateur football teams to community schools, from youth training teams of professional clubs to young people playing street football... All young people are Ferguson's target.

Ferguson decided to establish the most complete club youth training team in the UK at the Red Devils, increasing the scale of youth training to the largest in England.

Ferguson still trusted Harrison and allowed him to continue coaching the Red Devils youth team. He also specially arranged an assistant to be responsible for communication and arranging matches between the youth team and the first team.

Ferguson pushed the management to recruit more youth training coaches, more host families, and more staff, and personally coordinated with the coaches of the first team and youth training camp to arrange training plans, formulate training and training standards, and vigorously promote the work.

Ferguson's interest in youth training is best known to his assistants. "If he sees a five-a-side football game in the park on his way home, he will definitely stop to watch it," said Norris. "I can't remember how many times I've called him out just after getting home from get off work and accompanied him to watch all kinds of little guys playing football. Those little geniuses are famous, but in fact they are just geniuses in the eyes of their parents, and they haven't even reached the ordinary level, but Alex is always very interested."

Ferguson's enthusiasm even led to him neglecting his sleep and meals. Once they drove to a faraway place to visit a school, but their return trip was delayed by an impromptu community game. When they returned to the base, they found that they had not even eaten dinner and did not cook for themselves. Ferguson was so tired that he almost caused a fire by throwing a box of matches on the electric stove.

Knox said, "Ferguson was like a butler, constantly patrolling schools big and small. Once a child stood out, he would appear at the child's door and persuade the parents to send the child to the Red Devils for trial training."

Ferguson was good at chatting with children, especially those with football talent. Harrison said, "Ferguson's level of 'luring' children to join the Red Devils was too high, almost no one could compare. He brought Giggs, who was training in Manchester City, and Beckham, who was far away in London, as well as Scholes and Gillespie. Gary was a fan of his since he was a child... They all became the gems of Ferguson's youth training system."

Batches of children came here, and more and more talented seedlings were discovered. From Maiorana to Lee Sharpe, from Giggs to Scholes, as well as the Neville brothers, Beckham, Nicky Butt, Kevin Pilkington, John O'Kahn, Chris Casper, George Switzer, Simon Davis, Colin McGee, Gillespie, Ben Thornley, Robbie Savage, Raphael Booker, Andy Noone, Richard Irvine, Joe Wanklovsky, Cook... These good seedlings were described by reporters as "Ferguson's fledglings."

These players quickly came into their own and the Red Devils Class of 92 was born.

After Ferguson achieved brilliant success with Manchester United, other Premier League clubs raised objections to Ferguson's youth training. The English Football Association, for some reason, agreed to the demands of these Premier League clubs. Ferguson denounced the new regulations as "notorious" - clubs can only recruit talents within a 30-minute drive from their home stadium. This extremely unreasonable regulation "successfully" restricted the efforts of Manchester United and Ferguson. For many years afterwards, Ferguson was unable to cultivate new youth training talents. His energy later had to turn to unpolished gems such as Rooney and Ronaldinho, all because of the FA's evil new regulations.

The English Football Association said that it wanted to protect the living space of small clubs, but the world trend is for big clubs to continuously expand the scope of youth training. The Red Devils later quickly expanded the recruitment of football talents from all over the world who were not English, but due to the restrictions set by the English Football Association, the Red Devils' training of local players was severely limited, and they gradually fell behind those clubs in London. After all, London is the largest city in England, and the more embarrassing point for the Red Devils is that Old Trafford is still on the edge of Manchester City, and the surrounding area is not the most densely populated area.

From the most basic rules of football, youth training is of course done best by big clubs or national bases with more investment. Big clubs are obviously the best choice for a young talent. The most efficient way is for big clubs to absorb resources widely and concentrate their strengths for training. The super-large training camp in Clairefontaine, France is the best example. Once the youth training is forced to be localized, the practice of the Red Devils recruiting talents from the British Isles will be banned, and the entire English football will be harmed.

After the Manchester United Class of 92 amazed the world, it was difficult for them to continue their legend. The English Football Association's regulations were the culprit. After the Class of 92, the Manchester United stars O'Shea, Brown, Richardson, Fletcher, De Laet, Rossi, Pique, Evans, Macheda, Welbeck, Cleverley... these players' achievements were far inferior to their predecessors.

Ferguson has always attached great importance to youth training, from the Red Devils' Class of 92, to Class of 95, to the O'Shea and Fletcher generation, and then to the Class of 2011. As the latest generation of the Red Devils' youth team won the FA Cup again, a large number of talents such as Januzai, Lingard, Pogba, Morris, Tunnicliffe, Keane Jr., etc. have emerged in the team. Ferguson's youth training continues to play an important role, and the Red Devils' youth training tradition remains strong.

Ferguson said: "To cultivate talented young players and make youth players the basis of team building is our Red Devils' tradition and a view I have always recognized."

Ferguson has unique experience in youth training. He is the most trusted elder in the hearts of young players and the one who has the ability to help young players grow. Ferguson often goes on the field to give instructions and explain tactics to the children in person. He lets the children often watch the training of the first team and separates the reserve team and the first team players for teaching matches. Ferguson constantly encourages them in life and handles the children's demands very efficiently. No matter who is depressed and uneasy, Ferguson always listens to them at the first time and gives reasonable suggestions based on the real needs of the children. He always encourages young players to work hard, not afraid of failure, and actively try. "Young people who are just on the field seem to fly in the sky with wings like gauze. Excessive burdens and expectations will make them fall to the ground with a bang." Ferguson once told reporters, "So we have to give them space to prepare carefully, give them enough opportunities, tolerate their failures, and help them try different methods."

Beckham admitted in his autobiography "My Side": "I chose Manchester United because of my childhood dream of playing for them, but the most important thing was Ferguson. Ferguson meant more to me than just a coach. He was like a trustworthy elder. Ferguson made Manchester United like a big family, not just a club. The old man was the master of it all."

In the words of famous journalist Patrick Barclay, "Beckham is like the lucky boy who was led into Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. Ferguson gave him a wonderful promise and then helped him turn all his dreams into reality."

Many years later, in the spring of 2007, when Patrick Barclay interviewed Beckham again, who had already transferred to the Los Angeles Galaxy, when they talked about returning to Old Trafford, the 32-year-old Beckham showed a melancholy look of a little boy and said softly: "I am willing to play for the Red Devils for free."

Ferguson is extremely proud of the glory of Class 92 and the subsequent achievements in nurturing talents such as Rooney. "I have a wonderful fate with these children, and their growth is like a beautiful story. We are like a big family. You have to protect them like a father treats his son, and they will bring you surprises every day. They are all outstanding representatives with the blood of the Red Devils, and they have the character and spirit of the Red Devils. I think the real secret of the Red Devils' success lies in those players who love the Red Devils, especially those who joined the Red Devils at a young age and grew up in the Red Devils family."

Ferguson said, "I am lucky to be able to bring out so many talents from the youth training and to work with many extraordinary young people. The Red Devils youth training has continued to be the basis for the team's progress, which is what I hope to see. The club trusts young people, and these young people are willing to fight for the club. This is the meaning of youth training. We have always been the best collective, and it is still the case now."

For Chinese football, Ferguson's emphasis on youth training almost opened the door of hope for the national football team. The Red Devils also recruited two young Chinese players, Su Maozhen and Wu Chongwen, but unfortunately, their fate was just a little short. Ferguson also tried to recruit Dong Fangzhuo, but unfortunately, it ended in regret.