Scott Wootton interview

[King Binny]

How did you come to leave Liverpool and join United?
I was an Under-16 at Liverpool and I felt the path through to the first team or even to the Reserves was blocked by the number of players that were being brought in from abroad, who weren’t necessarily better than the English players already there. Those players were being brought in by Rafa Benitez and they were being played ahead of the English players coming through. They offered me a scholarship but I turned it down. Luckily for me, United were interested. They took me on a week’s trial and once I knew they were interested I didn’t want to look anywhere else. I’ve never looked back since.

Is it true that Liverpool fielded you as a 14-year-old in an under-18s tournament?
Yeah. When I was playing for the Under-15s, I went to a tournament in America with the under-18s who had won the FA Youth Cup twice in a row. Steve Heighway took me along. I was only 14 and he told me that the club had only done that with two players before, Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard, so I felt very privileged.

How different are the youth set-ups at United and Liverpool?
In terms of the football that both clubs try to play, it’s similar. The youth set-ups are quite different, though. Here you have the Under-9s to Under-14s training in the evening; the youth team, the Reserves and the first team all train together. At Liverpool there were two completely separate buildings. When I was there Melwood was just for the first team and Reserves, while the Academy was just for the Under-18s.

When you go full time in the Liverpool Academy you don’t get to see the first team or Reserves, which is different to how it is here. I think it’s much better here that you’re surrounded by players who you aspire to be like. You see them around the building, watch them training and it motivates you. Plus you feel more of a part of the club here. You’re around the players, the coaching staff, the ground staff, everyone.

 

[keniget]

Break a leg.

 

[gareth_thomas]

Who?

 

[King Binny]

[quote author=Binny link=topic=42273.msg1198024#msg1198024 date=1287216885]

How different are the youth set-ups at United and Liverpool?
In terms of the football that both clubs try to play, it’s similar. The youth set-ups are quite different, though. Here you have the Under-9s to Under-14s training in the evening; the youth team, the Reserves and the first team all train together. At Liverpool there were two completely separate buildings. When I was there Melwood was just for the first team and Reserves, while the Academy was just for the Under-18s.

When you go full time in the Liverpool Academy you don’t get to see the first team or Reserves, which is different to how it is here. I think it’s much better here that you’re surrounded by players who you aspire to be like. You see them around the building, watch them training and it motivates you. Plus you feel more of a part of the club here. You’re around the players, the coaching staff, the ground staff, everyone.

"From a selfish point of view, I want a short-term fix but I'm also not naive enough to think it is about me or the players coming to the final part of their careers. This club will be here for many, many years so I think the right thing is to build for the future, bring young talent in, sort the scouting system out from top to bottom, get the academy and Melwood as one, that is my opinion. I believe so, we should all be together and all be one. I think the Americans have got the right idea by trying to build a platform for this club for many years but, of course, when I speak to them, I'm going to be wanting the quick fix because I have got four or five years left at this level and I want to win trophies before I finish because that is what I go to work for.

"I am not going to take credit for that shout about the academy, but I speak to Jamie Carragher a lot and he mentioned it to me and I think it is a fantastic idea. Me growing up, what helped me get to this level, was watching the first team train, having a chance to go to Melwood and seeing the players that I looked up to and dreamed of playing alongside. The young kids don't see Fernando Torres now, they don't see Jamie Carragher, they don't see me. They see us once a year, twice a year. They should be seeing us day-in, day-out. They should see their target where they want to be." [/quote]

 

[gareth_thomas]

fuck that. a 16 year old kid shouldnt be gifted such things.

Youngsters should have to earn their place with the 1st team. Like many of us, we simply dont get what we want.. it takes years of learning and working hard to achieve our goals. It makes us appreciate it much more when we do finally succeed.

If this is the way they want to brood their youngsters then i would expect some utter wankers flying in a few years.

I do however think the first team should have more responsibility to mingle with the younger lads, at least more than 1 or 2 times a year. A mentor type program. This would provide them with the opportunity to learn from the first team and would still make them aware that they have a LOOOONG way to go.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

"Hi son. Good day. Errrr....why have you got braids and a toilet seat tucked under your arm?"

 

[The Slugmonster]

[quote author=Sheik Yerbouti link=topic=42273.msg1212753#msg1212753 date=1289123614]
"Hi son. Good day. Errrr....why have you got braids and a toilet seat tucked under your arm?"


[/quote]

Lollers :laugh: