John Fallon: United not yet right for Ferguson

IRISH SEAGULL: Evan Ferguson has committed his long-term future to Brighton by signing a contract that runs until 2028. Pic: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

TWO contrasting examples of Manchester United teenage striker recruits underscore why Old Trafford is not the right place for Evan Ferguson at this embryonic stage of his career.

Wayne Rooney was, similar to the Irish forward, 18 when Alex Ferguson convinced his board in 2004 to shell out a package worth £27m (€30.4m) to purchase the Everton striker.

The United manager wasn’t risking the wrath of his various academy graduates by branding Rooney the “best young player this country has seen in the past 30 years” for the evidence substantiated it.

Fifteen Premier League goals in 67 appearances over a two-year period was admirable in its own right but he’d burnished those strides on the international stage. England’s march to the quarter-finals of Euro 2004 featured four goals by the teen, the last of which put them ahead against Portugal.

Losing their goal machine following his last goal against the Portuguese cost them as he suffered a broken metatarsal after firing them ahead. He’d been long stretchered off when Portugal prevailed on penalties.

The number eight jersey left vacant that season till his arrival, Rooney began as he meant to go on, marking his debut against Fenerbahce with a hat-trick. Finished articles rarely emerge in their teens yet Rooney was an exception.

Not so for their next splash on a replica in 2015.

Anthony Martial didn’t possess the same profile as Rooney and so even allowing for transfer inflation shelling out double the fee to Monaco for the 19-year-old appeared bizarre.

He had yet to represent France at senior level and the €10m bonus included for being nominated for the Ballon D’Or has never been, and is very unlikely to be, activated.

Observing Martial toil in the past week against Sevilla, whom he endured an underwhelming loan at last season, and Brighton illustrated his failings at United.

Amid their erratic form this season has been one constant — a lack of presence up front. In Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final, time and again, passes into the final third were miscontrolled by their sole striker who simply isn’t a natural frontman.

Eventually, Erik ten Hag did the sensible thing by substituting him and switching Marcus Rashford into the centre.

Martial’s mere 30 caps for France over almost nine years signify where he’s considered in their pecking order.

Which brings us onto Ferguson. During his summer’s essential overhaul, United will certainly recruit one striker.

The Irishman’s name has been mentioned in the conversation, first reported last month by Football Insider. United’s attendance at Ireland’s game against France four weeks ago supposedly solidified this suggestion but they may well have been scouting one of the French rising stars, such as Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani for instance, in search of an upgrade on Martial and the ungainly Wout Weghorst.

For context, Tottenham were at Lansdowne Road. Ditto Chelsea. Both have been linked with Ferguson and rightly so, given not just his nine goals this season but credentials as a tall striker with close-control skills to match.

Against the French, they’d have witnessed a different dimension to his repertoire, dropping midway into his own half for service against the one-way traffic. Those teams would view him flourishing from the same position in the opposite half.

But the notion that Ferguson was being lined up for United in the short-term was far-fetched. Technical director Darren Fletcher may be a fan of the rising star but there was also no disputing his fondness for Nathan Collins.

Fletcher has seen first-hand at Stoke City the emergence of Ferguson’s compatriot to prominence yet in his two moves since, to Burnley and then Wolves, United opted against tabling a bid.

That doesn’t mean they won’t in the future but as the Celbridge native is finding this season at Molineux the moulding process doesn’t tend to cease by 21.

Sometimes major clubs prefer for others to be responsible for polishing scratches off diamonds and are content to pay a premium for the privilege.

Unfortunately, in the example of Martial, United paid the price for acting prematurely. That his shortcomings have been exposed under their watch magnify the mistake.

The hope is the same fate won’t befall Ferguson, who signed a new long-term contract at Brighton yesterday.

The deal rewards the progress many seasoned specialists predicted from his days at St Kevin’s Boys.

Moreover, it also protects Brighton from losing their asset for a knockdown price when the interest translates into firm offers.

That’s a certainty, based on his current trajectory, and if Ferguson keeps it linear, he’ll have avoided pitfalls many of his predecessors couldn’t.

From United’s perspective, spending big to lure Harry Kane or Victor Osimhen is the likely strategy to cure their attacking ills. Each of the targets will feel the pressure of leading United’s line, probably on their Champions League return too, but it would be nothing compared with the burden placed on an 18-year-old devoid of major club or international competition experience.

That’s not a reflection on Ferguson’s ability, only where he’s currently at on that vacillating scale of potential. His time for emulating his hero Rooney will have to wait and he’s got the character and composure to accept that it’s the best scenario for all.

Agents exam a belated attempt to regulate a murky industry

Last week’s scenes at the London Excel Arena of agents scrambling to register and then pass the new Fifa’s regulations should act as a reminder of what’s coming here.

Since 2015, the world governing body chose to regulate the sector, ostensibly removing the word agent and giving birth to the term intermediary. The vacuum gave rise to a proliferation of people, sometimes family members, who act on their clients’ behalf when negotiating contracts or transfers.

Finally Fifa have chosen to clamp down, presenting candidates with 20 multiple-choice questions, of which 75% have to be answered correctly to pass. Subjects include rules on transfers, training compensation, working with minors, the agent licensing system, commission caps, conflicts of interests, and disciplinary and legal systems.

The challenge facing contenders to comply with next year’s cutoff point is parsing the 528-page study document which contains Fifa regulations.

Some high-profile agents, who don’t meet the exemption granted to those licensed prior to the 2015 watershed, have engaged lawyers as tutors.

On the Irish front, the list of current registered intermediaries features just eight names. Eamon McLoughlin and Stephen Bent would be the best known of the coterie but it’s well established that multiples are operating across the industry, both in the national leagues and brokering deals for UK-based players. 

Resistance has already occurred across the water and don’t bank on the domestic scene suddenly sanitising itself.

Saunders’ lasting legacy

The legacy of David Saunders will be, amongst many achievements, amplifying amputee football.

Before his unfortunate passing over the weekend, the Cork City player and Ireland international had brought an attention on the area unlikely to be matched.

Born and reared in East Kerry in a fanatical GAA family, David developed a form a bone cancer when he was 11-years-old and had to have his left leg amputated.

For the next 29 years of his life, David faced adversity with gusto, passing every obstacle with integrity.

As much as being a proud Kerryman, he relocated to Carrigaline in Cork to work as a teacher in Douglas Rochestown Educate Together National School up until his physical condition wouldn’t allow him to continue.

Three times he battled the affiliation of cancer until it finally overcome him, leaving behind wife Anne Marie from Castleisland and children, Jack, 4, and Aoibhín, 2.

A Go Fund Me launched to support the Cork City FC player generated almost €100,000, all in the aim of catering for his family.

Further donations are as necessary as they are welcome.

David also made his contribution to developing a national league, one that is thriving since its inception in 2018, and for that Irish football ought to be thankful.