Troubled times at Carrington as the club proud of producing the next generation of stars is in flux under fresh leadership
T
he standards of Manchester United’s academy have “really slipped” in recent years, according to Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The club is renowned as one of the world’s best schools for young players, so the words of the man at the top of the football operation will have stung those trying to create the next generation of stars.
The academy is in flux after Nick Cox, its long-time leader, left in September to become technical director at Everton. His replacement, Steve Torpey, joined from Brentford and is an ally of United’s director of football, Jason Wilcox. The pair worked together at Manchester City and the introduction of another former employee from there implies a literal blueprint is being followed.
At a recent staff meeting attended by Wilcox, it was discussed how the academy had been somewhat neglected while the focus was placed on turning around the first team’s fortunes. Although £50m has been invested in renovating the training facilities, the academy staff are working in prefabricated structures behind the main building, situated in the players’ car park, but there are plans for a modernisation to match the first team’s infrastructure. Ratcliffe has told academy staff his reference to slipping standards was in relation to facilities.
