On development of young #MUFC team vs young RB Leipzig, this is a valid argument from @kevinhatchard (who’s an excellent analysist; true Bundesliga expert, & well worth a follow if you have a general interest in European football). I wanted to offer my proper take on it here... https://twitter.com/kevinhatchard/status/1336658401162620929

Firstly, Leipzig is a phenomenally run club with well-established processes that have been tried & tested over several years & coaches. Nothing I say here should detract from that. And that is the 1st of many different circumstances - #MUFC’s processes are in their infancy...

New, after several years of dissarray. Just 2 years ago, much of the club was broken - the culture, the recruitment, the wage bill, the style, the makeup of the squad, the reputation in the market among agents, clubs, & players. Correct processes have now been put in place but...

It takes significant time for them to become established. The new culture. It has improved significantly, but unwanted players are still there & reputations etc don’t change over night. The more settled it becomes, the better a developmental ground it’ll be for young players...

The kind of efficient processes Leipzig have are now being put in place at Utd, but there’s other factors too. The Bundesliga is a younger league than the PL. For eg. it’s 3 youngest sides are all younger than the youngest PL side. The intensity is lower - they play fewer games &

have a winter break. Not sure Kev’s thoughts, but I can only see that this would be an aid in Europe? (along with the greater confidence & momentum they can generate in a younger league). To my eyes, there’s more space in the BL too, to help young players express themselves...

Not sure if Kev (who knows the league better than me) agrees

Finally, a huge one: Leipzig is a big club, but the pressure at #MUFC is unparalleled & colossal. That makes development far tougher for young players, with any minor mistake, & the team itself, under the microscope...

Even Rashford & Greenwood, as well as AWB & McTominay have been pummelled by press & fans. The coaching & man management they have received from McKenna, Carrick, Phelen, OGS etc has been excellent thru that process. All are developing well, & safely, in difficult circumstance...

Ultimately, with new processes (re)established, #MUFC will have elements of Leipzig (recruitment/development/identity) & Ajax etc (academy), while also being able to keep their young talents as they reach maturity. They’re not far off.

Always challenged by @kevinhatchard!