Manchester United Youngsters Thriving in the Championship

For players in the formative years of their professional career, exposure to success is incredibly important. Therefore, it would be foolish to argue that the biggest clubs shouldn't utilise their equally established youth setup to develop their talent pool right in front of their eyes. However, there are many strands of developmental success that cannot be replicated in academy football. 

The rapport built with fans and the worldliness and wisdom learnt from veteran teammates is essential in preparation for senior football. Conversely, there are aspects of loan spells, such as the language barrier and cultural embedding when venturing abroad that flare up its issues, as does the shift in mindset and motivation when dropping into the divisions below. 

A middle ground is so often the saintly solution to such problems, where every pro and con is gradually spoon-fed to eliminate any stress and measure satisfaction and success in a way that neither overwhelms nor overindulges a young player at the height of their emotional and psychological evolution. In many instances, that happy medium is second-tier football. In this instance, the Championship. 

With the exception of Dean Henderson, recent years haven't seen Manchester United make use of the second tier in the way that the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and especially Chelsea have. Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori are all examples of players who have benefitted from the competitive yet comforting nature of the league, which, in the critical stage of a footballer's career that distinguishes an elite level player from the many that become stuck in the lower leagues, is an essential compromise to have.