- May 17, 2016
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U23 seems a broad issue. Infrequent matches and the lack of competitiveness. It's been mentioned before but the old reserve system at least allowed first teamers recovering from injury play a part in the reserves and it actually feeling "genuine".
There was an exception when Van Gaal was in England. He had a policy that returning players who have spent a while out from injury had to have a game or maybe two or three with the U23s as an overage player in order to get match fitness, for him to select them again for the first team. A few years ago Falcao played against our U23 team for Man Utd's U23 and he was pocketed by Carter-Vickers. Van Persie played against Fulham's U23s. Fellaini scored against Liverpool U23. It was quite notable because these were big names who were in the peak years playing against youngsters who never kicked a ball in first team football.
But generally speaking the U23 level is in an odd state. The ones who stand out at youth level tend to get fast tracked to being involved in first team training, and maybe making the odd matchday squad, or going on loan. That leaves the U23 options depleted and with all due respect a player like Georgiou - who is 21 now - should really be making a move to start his professional career but he's still sticking around.
There was an exception when Van Gaal was in England. He had a policy that returning players who have spent a while out from injury had to have a game or maybe two or three with the U23s as an overage player in order to get match fitness, for him to select them again for the first team. A few years ago Falcao played against our U23 team for Man Utd's U23 and he was pocketed by Carter-Vickers. Van Persie played against Fulham's U23s. Fellaini scored against Liverpool U23. It was quite notable because these were big names who were in the peak years playing against youngsters who never kicked a ball in first team football.
But generally speaking the U23 level is in an odd state. The ones who stand out at youth level tend to get fast tracked to being involved in first team training, and maybe making the odd matchday squad, or going on loan. That leaves the U23 options depleted and with all due respect a player like Georgiou - who is 21 now - should really be making a move to start his professional career but he's still sticking around.