Source: Daily_Mail
Kids aren't pampered, says Manchester City's £1m U21 star Onuoha
Nedum Onuoha has hit back at Frank Lampard on behalf of England's next generation and insisted today's young footballers are not handed too much. The Manchester City defender, captain of the England Under 21 side beaten 2-0 by France at the City Ground on Tuesday, rejected Lampard's idea that modern football's shift away from the culture of apprentices cleaning boots and sweeping terraces has lessened their appetite for success. 'Maybe he knows people like that but, in terms of a lot of young players I know, it's not a case of too much, too young,' said the 22-year-old, who earns around £20,000 a week and is in talks over a deal worth £40,000 a week. [LNB] Not pampered: Manchester City's Nedum Onuoha hits back[LNB]'You are given a grounding. At City, it was hard at the Academy. Youdon't just walk into a professional contract. You always have to workhard. The majority of us used to clean the coaches' cars and this wasonly four or five years ago. 'People think all that has gone but we still go to places and seepeople working on the ground. We were training at Derby this week andwe weren't sure if there was a player having to cut the grass. Peoplesay it's gone from professional football but it still goes on.' You're too big for your boots! After Lampard hits out, what about the boot boys that went on to become major stars?Lamps is wrong, youngsters shouldn't get their hands dirty, blasts PFA chiefClean up, lads: Frank Lampard calls on pampered young stars to do dirty work [LNB]England Under 21 boss Stuart Pearce was a part-time footballer and electrician before turning pro. He said: 'Thirty years ago it was the same. For some it would go to their heads, for some not.'Meanwhile, Stuttgart have criticised City for offering 'exorbitant'money to sign Germany Under 16 goalkeeper Loris Karius. The German clubsaid they could not match the three-year deal handed to Karius.[LNB] City-bound: Stuttgart goalkeeper Loris Karius[LNB]Rated one of the best prospects in Europe, the 15-year-old will move toManchester on July 1 and play for City's Under 18 side. Stuttgart werehopeful of persuading Karius to sign a new deal despite interest fromelsewhere in the Barclays Premier League, but then City stepped in. The German club's youth co-ordinator, Thomas Allbeck, said: 'There wasan exorbitant amount of money involved. It was well out of proportion. 'On the one hand we cannot afford this and we are also unwilling to keep up with this.'Referring to lucrative deals and high earnings disrupting a youngplayer's development, Allbeck said: 'All the sporting and educationalaspects will not matter when a young player has got it made financiallyin just a few years.' It is against the law for City to pay Karius more than £65 a week untilhe signs his first professional contract at the age of 17, but thethree-year deal could be loaded with incentives such as a signing-onfee and bonuses which will massively increase his wages in 14 months'time. The current highest earner among City's youth ranks is paid around£50,000 a year. City invited Karius and his family to England afterwatching him in Germany's Under 16 game against Macedonia lastSeptember.His agent Klaus Gerster said yesterday: 'Loris signed a three-yearcontract last week. We had many offers 70 per cent of Premier Leaguesides wanted Loris.'[LNB] [LNB]
