Player Y Has Entered The Game

Manchester United U19 0 v Bayern München U19 2

UEFA Youth League Group A

Tuesday 12 December 2023

Played at Leigh Sports Village

Ground Tick #462

Today's visit to Leigh Sports Village to see Manchester United U19 in the UEFA Youth League was my 462nd ground tick.

There is a chain pub onsite - The Whistling Wren. We just tucked up in there. Quite a few Bayern fans in. I went

Beavertown, Neck Oil on Keg at 4.3%

We begin with a tale of two players. Both Player X and Player Y were born in 1986. Both were U19 Youth Internationals - (Player X for Northern Ireland, Player Y for the Republic of Ireland) . Both retired young. Player X had an injury that forced him to retire at age 22. A little later, Player Y had an injury that forced him to retire at age 28.

Following their injuries, both players more-or-less immediately became coaches in the Academy system of their former club. Both (now) Coach X and Coach Y were eventually head hunted as coaches into the Manchester United Academy system. And both rose through the Manchester United system to become Lead Coaches for The Red Devils U18s. Coach X won the U18 Premier League North. And Coach Y won the FA Youth Cup. Both Coaches progressed further with Manchester United to take more senior coaching roles.

Coach X is Kieran McKenna. Kieran is now Manager at Ipswich Town in The Championship. Highly thought of and rated. That is Kieran’s first managerial job. Ipswich were promoted out of League One in 2022/23, And, as I write, are pushing for back-to-back promotions. Ipswich are currently second in the Championship. Just one point behind Leicester City, and ten points clear of Leeds United.

Coach Y, six years “behind” Kieran because his injury came later, but with a very similar profile to Kieran, is Travis Binnion. Ex Sheffield United player before retirement. Travis previously held a variety of senior positions in Sheffield United’s Shirecliffe Academy. Travis is currently lead U21 Coach at Old Trafford - leading the youngsters in the EFL Trophy v L1 & L2 teams and in today’s UEFA Youth League game.

Comebacks to the Club. Never say Never.

Readers of my Blog from way back when will know how highly I rate Travis. It mainly boils down to one thing. Many coaches seem to concentrate on berating players for mistakes they’ve made, or things they haven’t done. But, Travis was always explanatory.

“Jake. If you peel off wide, then he’ll have to go with you. And that’ll create space for someone running from midfield.”

“Brooksy. Brooksy. Brooksy. Come towards him. Take it with your back to goal. But make your first touch with your right. Then he won’t know which side of you it’s best for him to be on.”

Travis has a big booming voice. When he is sideline in a main stadium. With just a few random Carrier Bag Firm and local anoraks in the stands, his voice echoes around the ground. But, ALWAYS encouraging, ALWAYS explanatory.

The fella was shit at details mind. He once asked ME to confirm to HIM which ground was being used for a particular U18 friendly in Northern Ireland. He once asked the Carrier Bag Firm, during the game, what the substitution rules were for the Central League Cup. And. famously, upon being told by the CBF that his Centre Forward might be suspended for this particular game even though it was only a friendly, he changed the Teamsheet to “Trialist”.

And. I'm afraid. Travis's Young Reds were second best today. Maybe say Never. The best way I can describe it is - Bayern looked like a team, United like a load of individuals. Fair do. Travis must have rearranged things at Half Time. United came out with much more of a press and put Bayern under pressure. That gave them a bit more of the ball. But, they didn't really do much with it.

They also went a bit more direct. That was a good fucking idea. Because they'd been pfaffing around with it from the keeper and CBs all the first 45. And giving it away time after time. When the defenders weren't giving it away, the midfield were just as bad.

While Travis kept us his constant cajoling. The Bayern Coach, Michael Hartmann, barely said a word. My companion suggested;

“Bayern have been coached how to think for themselves, and how to adapt. United have had all that knocked out of ‘em.”

Maybe Sheffield United should say Hartmann.

But of course, the meme of this Blog is…

McKenna has gone to Ipswich. Sheffield United have just gone “back” to Wilder. Travis is out there - Never say Never.

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