Similarities with our set up and Utd's 'class of 92'

[markDee]

A few years ago we all accepted that to win stuff you need a billionaire to come in and buy the league for you. However, this mentality has changed since Roberto has arrived. He's has even said it himself. (because he's well boss)

It got me thinking to the 'class of 92' as the media bells say. United won the league with a strong youth team that Ferguson put faith in, which was the core of the most successful British team ever, and I'm excited to see some similarities with us now.

If we're going to be successful and return to the top then we need two things that Utd had in the early nineties:

1) A top class manager with a positive, winning mentality

2) A load of young players who come through the club and cost nothing or very little.

We have both, and if a few more Barkley's came through or we stole another Coleman for 60k then anything can happen. COYB!

 

[deipnosophist]

nice post...I believe Everton are on the up and up. We will never match the billionaire clubs in their strategy (throw money about until something sticks), so we need to approach things differently. Your post articulates such an approach.

 

[groggsie]

Yep, totally agree. When I was first getting into soccer/football... United were the team I watch cos my brother had supported them. Watching Giggs, Nevilles, Butt, Beckham and Scholes was just awesome.
We can do that too, with a great youth setup, engrain the Everton way through the whole setup, that way they all play for one another. Not just some blokes on a huge wedge chasing glory.
This is why I love Everton, they go about it the right way.

 

[mawders]

The confounding factor....the class of 92 was pre billionaire era and utd were also the richest club in the land and complemented the kids with players like Schmeichel, Cantona, Keane, Pallister etc.

I like what we are building here but you see Utd have 150m to spend this summer, arsenal 100m, RS 50-60m...we can't compete on a sustained basis, even with great kids and a winning mentality.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Obviously Barkley and Stones have emerged this season. We'd need guys like Garbutt, Ludson, Browning, Green and possibly a striker to come through too for the comparison to be a valid one.

 

[toffee matt]

The class of 92 is a bit of a myth really, if you watch the DVD you'd think they were the spine of the treble winning side.
When in fact the spine of that team (Stam,Keane,Cole,Yorke) was bought for big big money.

Scholes and Beckham were good players mind , but they weren't the spine of that team

 

[Christiffa25]

The confounding factor....the class of 92 was pre billionaire era and utd were also the richest club in the land and complemented the kids with players like Schmeichel, Cantona, Keane, Pallister etc.

I like what we are building here but you see Utd have 150m to spend this summer, arsenal 100m, RS 50-60m...we can't compete on a sustained basis, even with great kids and a winning mentality.

Excellent post.

People forget this when talking about utd's kids. They still spent BIG money to complement these kids in a era when they were still the highest spenders. Until Wenger and arsenal's French Revolution came along a declining Liverpool was their main competition.

I've always said tho, fergie struck it lucky getting half a team for free who had a special bond to play together and be succsessfull.

Would fergie have won so much without that bit of luck? And the money to complement it?? I doubt it.

 

[Ralphie Boy]

Have to agree with toffee matt, a lot of prem clubs have some good youth but will struggle or be mid table as they do not have the expensive, established players.

If you look at Villa in the past couple of seasons have had some excellent young players but no experienced quality to see them through and now Southampton with excellent youth but not really the quality to take them to the next level.

We have some excellent prospects, but that is all they are at the moment and with a more positive manager in RM they will probably get the opportunity to probe themselves, I think with a certain other manager they would have been released as they had no confidence in youth or did not want to drop favourites.

Heres to a bright future with a mix of talented homegrown youth and the odd marquee signing to give us the added edge..............

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I think we're in a better position than either Villa or Saints. Baines and Jagielka are established England internationals. Howard is a strong keeper. Coleman was the best right back in the league this season, plus we've got some good, experienced pros in the squad such as McCarthy, Distin, Mirallas, McGeady.

We would need another couple to come through next season though. Garbutt looked superb for the England side recently, whilst Browning has been given rave reviews by the coaches. Those two plus a bit more game time for Ledson would be a positive step.

 

[hullefc]

Martinez has said that he wants to bring 2 youngster thorough every 2 years. Stones and Barkley are now established, Browning and Garbutt have been added to the squad. Martinez has talked about using Baines in central midfield that would allow Oviedo and Garbutt to be competing for the left back spot. It seems that Martinez is always thinking what next.

Given that we don't have a shed load of money we have to bring the youngster through. Martinez backs himself to improve players and if he doesn't feel they can make it with us he will let them go, to another club to earn a living playing. That is a tremendous plus for our academy.

But you also need experience around and we have plenty of it, Jags, Baines, Howard, Distin, Ossie, Pienaar and the likes of McCarthy and Coleman who have become established players. If there are youth players coming through you can then get short term loans, which Martinez has used brilliantly, and older player on short term contracts to supplement what we have. I expect Martinez to get in 3 loans in the positions we need them most, central midfield and strikers.

 

[Gwladys Nights]

You can't win anything with lids.

 

[Darth Toffeeman]

I agree with the points made so far. The key is to sign one or two top class forwards. Our setup through the youth is superb, and we have some outstanding 1st team internationals. What we do not have are leathal strikers.

We should be using our summer budget to strengthen this area. I actually believe this is what we are currently trying to do. Make enquiries for all sorts of players and get an idea of the fees involved, whilst focusing on securing Lukaku as the priority.

 

[Groucho]

Firepower.

That's all we need to kick on, I'm telling you.

A decent strike force. Look what one brilliant and one very good striker got Liverpool - nearly the league, with the rest of their team a step below ours.

If we could produce two top notch forwards in addiction to the above we'd be laughing.

 

[Verbal Kint]

Hopefully your right mate, we seem to have a dearth of talent coming up through the ranks, but i don't think Utd had a fear of losing any of them, they could match any wages say a City or Chelsea could offer a Barkley or Stones. We can't go out and pay big money on transfers either, how many people on here complain about Kone being a flop etc etc.. he only cost £5m at the end of the day but Liverpool for example can afford to take £18m gambles on Sakho, did they not pay £9m for Aspas and Luis Alberto cost a few pounds aswell, Martinez needs to be absolutely perfect in his tranfer dealings and all these young players need to reach seriously high levels for us to ever challenge for a title.

But Atletico Madrid, Monpellier and Dortmund have proven that it can be done.

 

[djjimmylee]

Bruce Wayne: "We have some excellent prospects, but that is all they are at the moment and with a more positive manager in RM they will probably get the opportunity to probe themselves" How a simple typo can confuse an agenda! Back to football...

The balance is excellent at the minute but one season does not a regular Champion's League contender make. Agreed, Lukaku (when not in lazy or injured mode) would be exactly what we are looking for, along with Kone & Naismith (good God! What a transformation that bloke has had this season) for support but it's still not a deep enough striking pool for me, even then. I'd love to see Bony in our colours but am wary of the Benteke syndrome, as much as those around him have caused his reduced production this season.

The class of '92 is a good benchmark but as some have already indicated, something of a myth when taken as a stand-alone. I think Noel Early has it nailed on to be fair but we also have to be realistic with our expectations. If we struggle next season to match this one's heights, how many will start calling for Roberto's head? I hope I never get to find out.