Why Man United are not the party at fault in the JJ Gabriel situation
Manchester United club officials and fans alike have been left in shock and confusion after 15-year-old teen prodigy JJ Gabriel asked the club to cancel his registration.
Gabriel, who has been making waves with his performances and recently scored a hat-trick against Sabah in the UEFA Youth League, also refused to train with the first team on the eve of their Carabao Cup clash against Brighton & Hove Albion. The plan originally was to make him the youngest senior player in United history by giving him minutes in the competition, but the latest development has left him out of the squad altogether.
The news has come as a surprise to United, who believe that they have everything in place that is required to give Gabriel a bona fide pathway to the first team. While the club believe that the situation is still redeemable, things are pretty delicate as they stand, as Gabriel’s entourage is pressing to make sure he leaves the club he joined as a nine-year-old.
Now, the news has obviously garnered a lot of attention on social media, with fans quick to blame the club for the situation they find themselves in. Words like “incompetent”, “mediocre”, and “unserious” have been dominating the discourse surrounding Man United given their standing as a club that prides itself on its academy and its ability to churn out players from the academy to the first team on a regular basis.
However, for all the vitriol United have been receiving, this is the last thing they ought to be criticised for, because they have seemingly done everything right in handling Gabriel’s development as a prospect and as a future player.
Managing young players is not an easy task. Every young player believes that they are ready for the first team and can have an immediate impact. But the jump from playing in the age groups to actual first-team football is massive. While there is no doubt that Gabriel is indeed talented beyond his years and has the skill to make it at the highest level, first-team football is an entirely different kettle of fish.
United have done everything right in handling his trajectory. Not many academies in Europe, let alone the Premier League, are known for churning out academy graduates with as much frequency as Manchester United can have, bar perhaps Barcelona and Ajax. Suffice it to say, United knew what they were doing when it comes to Gabriel and his development.
They made sure he had a clear pathway to the first team by introducing him to then coach Ruben Amorim. He was afforded training with the first team, with Bruno Fernandes in particular taking a liking to him. He and his family were given special privileges, including watching United games at Old Trafford in the director’s box, where he was introduced to Sir Alex Ferguson.
Most importantly, he was also given enough social media exposure and was also part of the pre-season squad. It also does not help that his father, who represents him, has a rather notorious reputation and is known to be difficult to work with.
Man United believe that Gabriel is on the verge of breaking into the first team. A plan had been laid out for the Brighton game to be the springboard from where he would begin his journey as a first-team player. But the news and the perception surrounding him and his entourage have put a massive spanner in the works.
While one might criticise Manchester United for a number of things in terms of the way they handle their operations, the JJ Gabriel situation is definitely one they cannot be held accountable for by any means.
