Manchester United have intensified efforts to generate greater value from their academy setup, Inside Sport understands.
There has been a clear change of emphasis at Old Trafford, with the club placing renewed focus on its emerging players amid a belief that the famous production line has not delivered at the same pace in recent years.
Developing players capable of breaking into the first team remains the central aim, but United are also increasingly aware of the financial returns available from academy prospects who are not currently on that pathway. It is an approach already used effectively by rivals Manchester City and Chelsea.
Midfielder Toby Collyer is among those United believe could attract a significant fee. However, the club’s return to European competition and the heavier fixture schedule expected this season may create more chances for fringe players to make their case.
Earlier this month, Czech goalkeeper Radek Vitek, 22, completed a move from United to Middlesbrough for around £14m
Harry Amass (left) could depart Old Trafford in a deal worth about £7m including add-ons, while United also believe Toby Collyer (right) could bring in a sizeable fee
Elsewhere, Amazon have begun filming their new Manchester United documentary, which will follow the club through the upcoming campaign as part of the latest instalment in the fly-on-the-wall All or Nothing series, after previous editions featuring Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City.
United have agreed a record fee for the production, with camera crews already prominent during the club’s pre-season tour.
Beeb under pressure over away day coverage
All would not appear to be well in the world of BBC local radio.
Rumours that bosses are set to stop commentators from covering away matches are rife, amid talk of a trial process which would mean fans of the visiting side would be forced to listen to the sometimes-parochial view of the host broadcaster.
Beeb insiders insist no decision has been made but say they are looking at working at ways to reduce duplication and showcase more of their local commentary teams across the network.
There is further angst over what some reporters have deemed double standards, claiming to Inside Sport that while some are being permitted to work for the likes of Sky Sports – and take paid BBC holiday days to do so – others have been denied such an opportunity. The BBC said it would not comment on individual cases.
British Rowing slammed for subpar farewell to performance chief
Interesting to see the former chair getting stuck into British Rowing following its markedly dry announcement of the departure of its director of performance.
Mark Davies, son of commentating royalty Barry, departed last November ahead of the arrival of a new chief executive and was quick to take his old employer to task with regards to the exit of Louise Kingsley.
A bland post, titled: ‘British Rowing statement regarding Louise Kingsley MBE, Director of Performance’ relayed the news that Kingsley had decided to retire and featured no named spokesperson or quotes.
Instead, it was left to Kingsley – who decided to go following an investigation into a complaint against her which concluded with no further action – to point out her achievements, namely turning a shambolic performance in Tokyo into a record-breaking one in Paris.
It was not lost on Davies, who noted: ‘British Rowing apparently cannot find a single person to say anything nice about a woman who turned round the worst Olympic performance for 30yrs in Tokyo to the best ever on foreign soil in Paris – an achievement for which she received an MBE. So she had to say it herself.’
Former British Rowing CEO Davies criticised the organisation for their farewell to performance director Kingsley, who turned a shambolic showing in Tokyo into a record-breaking one in Paris
Chelsea impressed by Malaysia’s rising football force
Chelsea wrapped up their pre-season tour last week with a 3-3 draw against Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim – or JDT, as they’re known – and don’t be surprised if fixtures against such high-level opposition become more familiar for them.
The credit belongs to JDT’s owner, His Royal Highness Tunku Ismail, the Crown Prince of Johor, who has quietly rebuilt the club over the past decade. Visitors for the Chelsea match were left marvelling at a stadium and training complex that wouldn’t look out of place in the Premier League.
That investment has brought the club to the brink of history. JDT are unbeaten in 108 Malaysian Super League games and, should they win their season opener this Friday, they’ll surpass a world record set by Ivorian side Asec Mimosas back in the early 1990s.
Having reached the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League last season under former Watford coach Xisco Munoz, the Prince now harbours ambitions of turning JDT into a club of genuine regional and global power.
Visitors for the Chelsea-JDT match in Malaysia were left marvelling at a stadium and training complex that wouldn’t look out of place in the Premier League
Golfers fume as heatwave rounds trigger handicap hit
Inside Sport has been contacted by a number of amateur golfers left furious that their willingness to shoot a round in the intense heat last week appears to have ended up shooting them in the foot.
Scores of hackers who braved afternoon temperatures of 37C were then stunned to subsequently discover that the World Handicap System had automatically added a stroke to their scores under its Playing Conditions Calculation, which can add or subtract shots should it deem extreme conditions favourable or harder.
‘What appears to have happened is a load of those who went out in the much cooler mornings have scored well and that’s had a knock-on effect on the rest of us, who had no choice but to go out in the sweltering afternoon when it was much tougher,’ explained one of those impacted negatively. ‘Outrageous!’
