Bardsley the babe: Academy crop begin to push the golden oldies
Posted in News on Monday October 24th, 2005 5:27pm
From the Independent:
“You get more confident with each game you play,” he said after the Lille match, in which by common consent he was as good as any of United’s much more experienced performers. “I’m learning and getting fitter, and hopefully I can maintain that.”
The word “hopefully” is sprinkled throughout his conversation, as if in acknowledgement that nothing can or should be taken for granted, even after getting to share a dressing room with some of his heroes: “It was mad, because I’m a local lad and I’ve dreamt of it since I was a young boy. To be in the team is a fantastic feeling for me, and hopefully I can stay in there and keep improving.
“It’s nice to be one of a new generation, because I think there’s not been one for some time, probably since Wes Brown and John O’Shea, then Darren Fletcher. From the Academy now there’s some good young players coming through, including Giuseppe Rossi, Sylvan [Ebanks-Blake] and Lee Martin. I’m sure they’ll all get an opportunity and I’m sure they’ll make it.”
An opportunity, certainly - the three names he mentioned were all substitutes against Lille, as was the highly regarded Pique. Making it is another matter, but Bardsley has a chance.
Rio Ferdinand, who at 27 next month has to be regarded as one of the senior members of the side, has had a close-up view of his young team-mate from the centre of defence and says: “It’s great experience for him getting two or three games on the spin and he’s done admirably well for a young lad.
“To be thrown in at the deep end against Champions’ League opposition is difficult for any young player, let alone at a club like Manchester United where the onus is on you to go out and attack, not just get through games like you do at some clubs. He had a difficult start at Sunderland but came through and has shown everyone what he’s capable of.”
Strong in the tackle and able to use the ball, Bardsley also appears to have developed a mental resilience as a result of a difficult year on loan at Royal Antwerp, playing in a struggling side and then falling victim to a series of injuries. A further blow was to lose a close relative, Frank Buckley - “a big influence on my career” - who was attacked and killed in the street 18 months ago.
“Uncle Frank was my team manager when I was 10 and now I dedicate all my results to him. My family have all supported me since I was nine and first came to United, and it’s been a roller-coaster since then. Hopefully I can keep making them proud and maintain my place in the team. Hopefully it’s just the beginning.”
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