Reds name provisional Milk Cup squad
Posted by nickogs20 on July 13, 2010
With just under a fortnight until United launch their bid for a third straight Northern Ireland Milk Cup success, we can reveal the provisional 18-man squad that Paul McGuinness will have at his disposal when the Reds kick off their campaign against County Tyrone on July 26.
The squad is listed in the official tournament souvenir programme and as such is subject to change, with injuries, international callups and the requirements of reserve team coaches Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Warren Joyce all having the potential to enforce late alterations. The provisional squad is listed below:
1. Sam Johnstone
2. Alberto Massacci
3. Luke Giverin
4. Michele Fornasier
5. Sean McGinty
6. Tom Thorpe
7. Paul Pogba
8. Larnell Cole
9. John Cofie
10. Will Keane
11. Etzaz Hussain
12. Michael Keane
13. Joe Coll
14. Tom Lawrence
15. Luke McCullough
16. Charni Ekangamene
17. Tyler Blackett
18. Luke Hendrie
As things stand, nine of last year’s victorious squad (Johnstone, Giverin, Thorpe, McGinty, Cole, Cofie, W Keane, Hussain, M Keane) will get the chance to complete a Milk Cup double, while Pogba, Massacci and Fornasier will be looking to make up for missing last year’s tournament due to wrangles with their former clubs over the transfer of their playing registrations. The rest of the group is made up of six of the seven new first-year scholars, with keeper Liam Jacob the odd one out – understandable given the presence of fellow custodians Johnstone and Joe Coll in the 18. Jacob is likely to get the chance to feature for the reserves while his peers are at the tournament, as Ben Amos will still be away with the first-team in North America and Conor Devlin looks set to also be at the Milk Cup with the Northern Ireland U20 side.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the squad is a name that’s not in it, that of midfielder Ravel Morrison. The 17 year-old was part of the squad last time around and is still eligible to play this year, but his absence – combined with his presence in the second string starting line-up for last night’s win over Curzon Ashton – suggests that the young Mancunian will instead be playing a big part in the reserves’ pre-season preparations.
We’ll bring you a full tournament preview and the final confirmed squad nearer the time.
United Youth 
John said
Rumour has it over here in Northern Ireland that Utd arent releasing Devlin for the Milk Cup.
nickogs20 said
It wouldn’t surprise me, we’d be struggling for goalkeepers with the reserves if he goes with NI.
Jezz09 said
Thought pogba would be breaking into the 1st team squad this year, disappointed he still seems to be part of the youth team plans. Thought central midfield was a position pogba could exploit within the first team as that position is up for grabs.
nickogs20 said
He was never likely to be pushing into the first team at this stage. He’ll likely feature quite regularly for the reserves as the season progresses and then we’ll see what happens from there. I wouldn’t expect him to feature for the first team this season though.
Nick said
Have faith! We’ll win the league at a canter and to save the first team for the Champions League final at Wembley, Sir Alex will put out the reserves, with Pogba grabbing a brace from the bench.
Well we can dream I suppose…
steve said
where are kenji gorre and jack barmy? barmy was our best player at the manchest nike cup and i understand he’s maybe still a year off from the under 18s but i though he would of got into this squad.
and kenjo gorre it does seem the papers hyped him way too much but i remember he got a game for the under 18s two season ago now he was sub i think but i really though he’d be playing in this aswell.
nickogs20 said
Barmby and Gorre are Under-16s. By virtue of most of the second-year scholars being born in the latter part of the year, there’s lots more of them eligible to play in this than there usually would be – with the new first-years thrown in as well, there’s no space for the usual 2/3 schoolboys or triallists.
steve said
another point the only signings are the two irish lads i hope we are’nt so skint we can’t even afford to sign more youngsters from europe, but i really expected atleast two of all those norweignes too of signed and is now seems strange not to see a new italian joining.
nickogs20 said
Last year was an exceptional year in terms of the number of players we took on. Shouldn’t be expecting mass signings from across Europe every year.
Jezz09 said
Granted he still needs more experience, but I really was expecting him to travel to America for the pre-season tour, to see how he got on. I mean the earlier they start playing with the first team the better. I think he is capable of stepping up to the mark. All top midfielders usually have a few senior caps by the time they’re 17, Fabregas for example, and it’s not like we’re exactly heavy on options in mid-field, especially if the boss doesn’t bring anybody in. Hargreaves and Ando out, Scholes going downhill, carrick possibly leaving, possebon not developing, questionmarks over Gibbo
nickogs20 said
I think the likes of Fabregas are very much an exception, not the norm. Most of the top midfielders around won’t have been capped at 17.
People seem to have got very carried away with Pogba. I can understand it in some respects because he’s clearly very talented but I don’t think it’s realistic to expect him to be in and around the first team right now and it’s no surprise to me that he’s not gone on tour. Patience is a virtue and all that.
Jezz09 said
well can you suggest anyone from the reserves who’s more capable than Pogba of stepping up to fill the central midfield position if we dont sign anybody?
dja said
How about Matty James or Corry Evans. Both are ahead of Pogba in the current pecking order. Corry has even gone on the first team pre-season tour. You could also put Daniel Drinkwater in there…
steve said
pogba is a difrent type of player to cesc he is quite physical in his game and he still has the body of a teenager so i think we need to wait too 2011/2012 for his debut.
Pete said
I wasn’t expecting Pogba to be with the first team squad yet, but I hope he plays in some of the Reserve friendlies before the Milk Cup commences. He didn’t get to play in it last year so that (partially) explains his inclusion at the expense of Morrison.
I hope the coaches are brave by playing our most promising 2nd and 3rd year scholars regularly in the reserves this season. Hopefully the likes of Eikrem, Norwood, C. Evans, Stewart, Wellbeck and Diouf join Drinkwater and James on loan, so that Tunnicliffe, Pogba, Morrison, Keane and Petrucci, Brady, Ajose, King can fight for the 6 attacking places (assuming Macheda, Cleverley, Obertan get 1st team games). This also means the younger or less physically developed Cole, Hussain, Lingard, Hendrie, Lawrence, Barmby will get more game-time in the under-18s.
We clearly have a good record at youth development, but sometimes I think we could be a little bolder, especially with this current crop. Consider a couple of loans last year: Drinkwater went to League One whilst Cleverley went to the Championship. Compare with Arsenal’s Lansbury and Wilshere, who, though at respectively similar levels to Danny and Tom, each went on loan to a division above ours. I acknowledge it can go either way: Arsenal do tend to overrate their youngsters and Lansbury looked a little out his depth at Watford; but equally, Drinkwater’s superior technical ability wasn’t best exploited by Huddersfield, certainly at the start of the season.
norry said
so where is Rico Gomes. is he still at the club?
adebeckham said
Rico gomes is no more with us. Please can anyone tell me the situation of davide petrucci? I like him so much.
Fred said
Is Davide Petrucci still injured?
Reds look to create more Milk Cup magic « United Youth said
[…] list differs slightly from the provisional squad named a couple of weeks ago, with Sam Johnstone, Alberto Massacci, Paul Pogba and Luke McCullough […]