Last weekend, Gary Neville weighed in on the issue of Pep Guardiola’s neglect of Manchester City’s countless youth talents on the fringes of the first team.
Following a very impressive cameo from 17-year-old Phil Foden during the Citizens’ defeat to local rivals United on their pre-season tour of the US, fans and pundits alike called for the youngster to be integrated into the first team in the coming months. However, they were quickly reminded of Pep’s admission in May that teenagers like Foden would struggle for game time this season.
Neville then tweeted that the Stockport-born attacker was at the “wrong Manchester club” if he wanted a sustained opportunity in the first team. Guardiola hit back yesterday saying he was only going to give players a chance in the senior squad because they were good enough and not simply because they were young.
He finished his rebuttal with what some claimed was a veiled dig at Neville.
“I thought even the journalists in the summertime were on holidays but I realise Neville is not.”
Guardiola responding to Gary Neville’s Claim that Phil Foden is at the wrong Club. “What is the right Club?” #Pep pic.twitter.com/Mc1yjK3vhh
— The Pep (@GuardiolaTweets) July 26, 2017
The former United full-back is, of course, working in sports media but to refer to him as a “journalist” was construed by some as a pop at the Englishman’s torrid struggles as manager of Valencia.
Whether he was offended or not, Neville has again taken to Twitter to discuss the issue.
Imagine being a youth coach or young player and hearing your head coach say the young players aren't good enough. Killing them publicly!
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) July 27, 2017
Still very relevant. Give your young players a chance and stop making excuses they aren't good enough! https://t.co/I3Q8CW4Ml3
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) July 27, 2017
It has to be said that, once again, he makes a very valid point. It’s just a baffling thing for Guardiola to tell the media when you have such an expensive academy now churning out prodigious talents every season.
City play Spurs on Saturday evening in the final game of the US leg of their tour before jetting off to Iceland for a game against West Ham. They begin their Premier League season away to newly-promoted Brighton.
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