Manchester United: Sir Alex Ferguson's Top 10 Kids for Fame

The kids are alright. Actually, they are much better than that. Sir Alex Ferguson has brought together a collection of young players who are not only the future of Manchester United, but are doing plenty to make the present one of the most exhilarating in recent Old Trafford times.

The manager, indeed, could field a whole team aged 21 and under and his selection would frighten the pants off most Premier League sides.

Experience and maturity are, obviously, vital but most of these 10 youngsters all have what it takes to make a huge impact on their club’s bid for more silverware this season.

Chris Smalling

Smalling originally arrived from Fulham as the next Rio Ferdinand. And then Phil Jones happened (not that he is not going to develop into a fine center-half, but he is beginning to look like a very, very good right-back).

Smalling's problem is that he has so much competition around him. As someone who questioned whether he was actually the real deal, I now believe I was wrong. Smalling's got it, no doubt—at least in terms of big match mentality (something else I had previously been doubtful about). No longer.

John O'Shea has gone and Smalling can now be the one to fill several holes. And, of course, he WILL get games in his favored position and he may even take yet another step up in terms of his ability in the center.

Look for him, however, to be moving around the two center-back spots and the right-back position this season. For certain, he is now growing into being a top United player. 

Danny Welbeck

He’s hamstrung right now, and that is a rotten blow for the kid having made such a powerful impact on the side. He has proven that in a United shirt, he can score clever goals quite apart from running the socks off defenses.

His power, in fact, is one major reason why Tottenham was destroyed and why the Arsenal back four lost the plot before he got that injury in the 8-2 win—and remember it was he who got the opener.

Sir Alex Ferguson always said that he would become a local boy made good and that he would be given the opportunity to do so. Once he’s fit, he and Javier Hernandez will share the job of partnering Wayne Rooney, and in quite a few games, watch for the two youngsters playing together while Wazza is being given a rest.

David De Gea

Some members of the Bleacher community gave me serious stick for questioning de Gea’s start to his English career, but I still have my doubts.

Yes, he saved a penalty against Arsenal and made a couple of excellent stops, but even inexperienced goalkeepers are embarrassed when shots go through their legs, as also happened. In my view, he is culpable for four goals so far.

The good news is that he is very, very talented and his distribution is Schmeichel-like. It was always going to be difficult for a 20-year-old to come into the Premier League and settle in right away—and it is good that his manager continues to forgive him his lapses.

The fear has to be, however, that his confidence does not suffer. That situation could diminish his talent—something he does have bags of. 

Javier Hernandez

The Little Pea is big potatoes now and while Danny Welbeck suffers, he will be trying to do everything to ensure that he gets what became, last season, his automatic place back.

His impact in his first campaign was little short of phenomenal and his ratio of goals against strikes underlines that. It will be fascinating to see whether he suffers from second season syndrome—in other words, whether he regresses a little because he wants to try even harder or whether defenders have worked out ways to deal with him.

Personally, I think he is a fantastic talent and most importantly, he will develop because he is very intelligent as a person, far less a player.

Fabio

There were suggestions that the left-back was only brought in as company for his right-back twin, even if it was Fabio who captained the Brazil U-17 sides; that he did not quite have the star quality shown by Rafael.

Last season, he provided compelling evidence that he can become a top player in his own right and it was he who played at right-back in the Champions League final, a testament to his progress.

His problem is going to be dislodging the consistently excellent and, obviously, far more experienced Patrice Evra while in the absence of Rafael. Meanwhile, Chris Smalling is beginning to make the right-back spot look like a natural option for him when he can’t play his normal role in the center of defense.

Fabio may well face frustrations this season because the competition just gets fiercer. But no question, now, that he has what it takes.

Phil Jones

May be the defensive find of a generation or even two for that matter. Rio Ferdinand is bound to be feeling twitchy.

The older man is unquestionably one of the best, most cultured defenders in the world and it is difficult to see how he can force his way beyond the 19-year-old after the start he has made since his £16.5 million switch from Blackburn Rovers.

Ferdinand, most likely, will figure in the big European games because he has such vast experience, while Jones has none. Look for Jones to be positioned in front of the back four as extra insurance. Jones must have weaknesses…but spotting any this season is going to be something of a trial. He’s that good.

Tom Cleverley

He’s feisty, he’s clever and he rarely wastes a pass. Somewhat like Phil Jones, he will face a steep learning curve in European games, but he has the intelligence to learn as he goes along.

There are bound to be comparisons with Paul Scholes, and the good news is that Cleverley is showing he can stand such an examination. His year on loan at Wigan, and the way he committed to the cause of keeping Roberto Martinez’s side up, suggests he is a true competitor.

And while he is not a big head, he certainly has belief in himself—a very important character trait when so much is being asked of him.

Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher will be carrying the load soon because burn-out will be a major consideration for Sir Alex Ferguson, but Cleverley has star quality.

Oliver Norwood

Norwood has just gone on loan to Scunthorpe United where the learning process will accelerate.

Though born in Burnley, England, he is a Northern Ireland U-21 cap and the country’s manager, Nigel Worthington says of him: "The lad is a genius. He is going to be a very good player. What he can do with the ball from free-kicks is remarkable.”

The 20-year-old loves to shoot from distance and coaches within Old Trafford declare he has the ability to change games.

Make no mistake, Sir Alex Ferguson will be watching the young man’s progress with great interest in the hope that, just like Tom Cleverley, he returns battle-hardened and ready for possible stardom.

Federico Macheda

Macheda was still only 17 when he scored a brilliant winner against Aston Villa in his April 2009 debut and six days earlier scored a hat trick against Newcastle United reserves.

Injuries have not helped his cause, but the striker, who goes by the nickname of Kiko, is determined that he will become an Old Trafford star. He went on loan to Sampdoria last season and made 14 appearances in Serie A (though the young Italian, who was born in Rome, was a Lazio youth player and could not help prevent the club’s relegation).

Macheda’s a tough cookie and he is going to need mental strength, too, for it is difficult to envisage him getting a run of games. But he isn’t there just to twiddle his thumbs—his manager believes in him. Patience, for Macheda, may well be the key in the next nine months.

Rafael

Destined to become a world class right-back, the twin of Fabio has stocked up 73 appearances—scored twice—but is currently out with a dislocated shoulder. He has a calm maturity about him that belies his 21 years.

Rafael just loves bombing up the flank—though given Chris Smalling’s emergence in the position, he may have to wait now to get back on the side once he regains fitness.

Still, he is a huge favorite with the Old Trafford crowd because they just love his attitude and it is impossible to see how, in the end, Sir Alex Ferguson will stand in the way of his future development.

The one worry is that, for the second time in his short career in England, he is suffering from shoulder problems.