Michael Carrick is keen to build strong links between Manchester United’s academy and first team and gave the young defender a chance this week.
Manager Michael Carrick welcomed Habib Oghanyi, who has been appointed as Manchester United’s interim head coach, to a training session this week. Carrick has been preparing his players for Saturday’s Manchester derby, but he also took the opportunity to observe the club’s academy players.
The former United midfielder was announced as the new manager on Tuesday night and has been handed a daunting starting job against City. He quickly assembled a coaching staff and began work at Carrington with the players being managed by Darren Fletcher after Ruben Amorim was sacked.
Carrick was keen to improve his own reputation and brought in 20-year-old defender Oguniyi to join the sessions. Oguniyi was recently recalled from a loan spell at Newport County and given a high-profile opportunity to train with the first team.
More recently, Jack Fletcher and Shay Lacey have been given game time and their paths from the academy to the first team have been watched for all to see. However, The Sun reports that Oguniyi is planned to be released on another loan later in the season.
read more: Manchester derby manager Michael Carrick gives candid Manchester derby verdict as he prepares for tough testread more: Why Michael Carrick’s recent job prepared him perfectly for the Manchester United challenge
Michael Carrick takes over Manchester United training (Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
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There has been a fall in the pecking order at Newport after former United academy coach Dave Hughes was sacked as manager and replaced by Christian Fuchs. The right-back will continue training at Carrington until his next transfer is arranged.
Nevertheless, his involvement is an example of Carrick’s desire to create even stronger links between the academy and the first team, which is shown by the inclusion of Travis Binion on his coaching staff. Binion has been promoted from the role of lead coach of United’s Under-21 team and previously held the role of head of academy player development and coaching.
Carrick was asked to reflect on the recent rise of academy players into the first team on the Inside Carrington podcast. “I really like it. Everyone needs a chance. As you know, all young players need a chance and want a chance. It’s up to them to take that chance or not,” he said.
Habeeb Oghanyi trained with Manchester United’s first team this week (Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
“That’s something I’ve always been passionate about. Even when I was playing, if a young player came into a group or a team, I would try to help them, guide them, give them advice. When you see them grow and almost fly, it’s because they have the feeling of playing in the first team and having the opportunity to be on the pitch.”
“That’s something we’ve seen at this club for a long time and it’s something we’re all excited about. What the fans want to see is that freshness and that rawness and that unpredictable talent. So I’m definitely all for working with the players and trying to help them and give them opportunities because that’s the way this place should be.”
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