Football Club Buzz

02/02/2012 11:06, Report by Adam Marshall

Rio Ferdinand expects Manchester United’s youngsters to use the FA Youth Cup as a launch pad for their careers.

The Reds travel to Swansea City’s Liberty Stadium in the fifth round of the competition on Thursday night and many of the team will get their first experience of playing in front of a crowd at a Barclays Premier League arena.

Although expectations of a repeat of last year’s success have been played down because of the age and size of the current group, Ferdinand believes Paul McGuinness’ 2012 crop can still surprise a few people.

Having gone all the way to the final in his West Ham days back in 1996, the centre-back is a firm admirer of the much-respected competition.

“I had a great time playing in the Youth Cup,” he told MUTV in a recent interview. “We had a great run and got to the final and played Liverpool – Michael Owen was on the other team. I played at Anfield and Upton Park at home, which was phenomenal.

“I think it’s a great tournament as you get to play at stadiums and get a real feel of what it’s like to play in big games as a young player. I’m sure the lads here will savour the moment when they go out there and represent Manchester United in a proper competition.

“It can be a launching pad for many careers. We’ve seen, over the years, players have gone on from doing well in the FA Youth Cup to becoming regulars in first teams so it’s a great opportunity for them.”

Source : ManUtd News

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