Manchester United coach Brian
McClair insists there will always be a chance for local lads at the
club - if they're good enough.
"It is nice to see that young players who have passed through
the academy are good enough to play for Manchester United," McClair told the
Manchester Evening News.
"It would be lovely to have 22 home-grown English players in the
first team squad. But that is not going to happen. It is great to
have a few get to the front door and then get in.
"The support wants to have local boys and that's what we try to
do. There will never be a situation where all your academy players
are imports and there are no locals because the way FIFA and UEFA
are looking at the game.
"They are making sure you have so many home produced players.
You have to have your locals and home produced. That's how it
should be.
"I couldn't see Manchester
United surviving without the academy anyway because
that has been a part of the fabric of the club. That is part of the
enjoyment of the success of the club.
"I couldn't see a squad of 22 players all from external
transfers and I couldn't see people being happy with that
either.
"I don't think it is harder for the Manchester boys. But the
fact is there are not as many local boys playing football anymore
as there were 20 years ago. It is about numbers.
"Why are there so many Brazilians playing all over the world? A
lot are still playing football because if you ask the majority of
them and the Argentineans they are coming from the favelas, the
poor areas, so football is their only way out."
