Harrison Predicts A Youthful Future
As England lined up against France on Sunday evening in Lisbon, there were few people amongst the 65,000 crowd as proud as former United youth team coach Eric Harrison.
Despite the last gasp defeat to Les Bleus, Harrison looked on with immense pride at his former apprentices – England starters David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, plus fellow squad members Nicky Butt and Phil Neville – who, apart from the injured Butt, will all play their part for their country at Euro 2004.
It was Harrison who groomed and nurtured the famous FA Youth Cup winning side of ’92, which included the aforementioned England stars plus the likes of Ryan Giggs and Birmingham’s Robbie Savage.
Their subsequent rise to stardom for both club and country came as no surprise to Harrison, who always believed they were destined to succeed on football’s biggest stage even when they were just teenagers.
Harrison still plies his coaching trade at Old Trafford, albeit on a part-time basis, due to his commitments with Wales as Mark Hughes’s No. 2. He also works alongside Sir Geoff Hurst and Kenny Dalglish as the National Coach for the FA’s scheme with McDonald’s which focuses on developing the stars of the future through grass roots football.
Here, in an exclusive interview with ManUtd.com, Harrison tells us his top tips for Euro 2004 and, as he recalls his memories of working with the class of ´92., he gives us his verdict on the future of the youth culture at Old Trafford...
Eric’s Pride
“I’ve had some very proud moments in my career, but to see the likes of Beckham, Scholes, Butt and the Nevilles line up for their countries is a wonderful feeling and it makes me very, very proud. To be honest though, I always felt they’d reach this stage. When they got to about seventeen years of age, I sat them all down individually and told them they’d play in Manchester United’s first team. I think that was a great confidence builder for them and they’ve all gone forward and performed magnificently.
“Without wanting to single any of them out, I think in terms of attacking play, Gary Neville enjoyed his best season for United last season. That isn’t just because he scored two goals; his attacking play improved all round. He was a bit limited in that area to begin with, but he’s become a much better attacking full-back. He’s a great defender with a fantastic knowledge of the game who always gives absolutely everything.
“They’ve all got vast experience now and if you play regularly for United, you’re going to eventually play international football. So it’s not unexpected to see them doing that, and, as a group of players, I think they can only get better.”
Top Tips For Euro 2004
“I’ve backed the Czech Republic at 20/1 as my outside bet, but to be honest I can’t see further than France. Obviously I want England to win it and I think they’ve got a good chance, providing they can all stay fit and keep a similar team.
" However, one thing that worries me about England is the weather factor. It’s very hot out in Portugal and I know they suffered with the heat at the last World Cup. But it could be a problem for most teams, especially when you consider the pace at which the game is played.
“Portugal have got some very talented players, but they’re a bit like Spain, in that they seem to disappoint at major tournaments. So I’ll go for France, followed by a good chance for England and my outside bet the Czech Republic.”
Making It To The Top
" For me, the biggest aspects in becoming a footballer are desire and dedication. Obviously, players have got to have good technical ability, but the two D’s are the most important ingredients for me. If a player hasn´t got those, in my opinion, they’re not going to do it, especially not at this club. You´ve got to be some player to play for United year after year, because the expectations are so great here and we´re the team everyone loves to hate. So you’ve got to have a lot of courage physically and mentally.
“Bringing young players through is part of the culture of Manchester United and the manager’s looking to do that again. Darren Fletcher’s done ever so well and I think he’s got a big future ahead of him, while watching Cristiano Ronaldo flying down the wing is a wonderful sight. John O´Shea probably didn´t do as well as he did in his first year, but your second season is always the hardest. He’ll be fine though and I´m sure the likes of Ronaldo, David Bellion and Kleberson will really fulfil their promise next season as well."
A Youthful Future
" Obviously the United supporters want to see the big signings, but they also want to see the kids from the club’s youth policy coming through. I remember the manager saying three or four years ago that the youngsters are the heartbeat of the club and he’s right. That´s why we place great emphasis of bringing players through. We’re proud of what we’ve done in the past and we’ve got to keep that tradition going."
