Source: Daily_Mail
We've never poached a young player from abroad, says United boss Fergie
Sir Alex Ferguson has refuted accusations that Manchester United have poached young players from abroad and claimed he only looks overseas because Premier League rules prevent him signing England's best teenagers.
United have been at the centre of a storm this week as suggestions that Chelsea illegally signed young Gael Kakuka from Lens were followed by an allegation from Le Havre that Ferguson's team had acted improperly in taking Paul Pogba from Lens.
But last night the United manager went on the attack, demanded a retraction by Le Havre, and accused the football community of picking on his club simply because of their profile.
Ferguson also claimed that rules preventing English clubs signing boys between 13-16 who live more than 90 minutes away would have stopped United signing David Beckham had they been in force at the start of the Nineties.
He said: 'People are always going to bring Manchester United into it because we are the biggest club - but they do it without any foundation or knowledge about the situation whatsoever. And, of course, there's been a lot of jumping on the bandwagon.
'I can assure you that Manchester United behave absolutely correctly in all their dealings with young players and their parents. There has never been a case of paying parents.
'It would be crazy to even contemplate that - because it would be the biggest headache you could ever have, paying a parent. This was the accusation aimed at us by some frustrated director at a French club - and he is now going to have to retract that.
'We behave impeccably. What other clubs do is obviously subject to a lot of controversy and speculation but I'm confident about our own club.
'Of course, because we have always been good at producing youth throughout the history of this club, it rankles with a lot of people. But we can only do our job. That's what we are paid to do.'
In common with their big Premier League rivals, United have upset a number of foreign clubs by taking players to Old Trafford at a young age. So far, however, they have not been shown to have broken any rules.
There is, however, clearly a temptation to look abroad for talent given the modern restriction on domestic recruitment, something Ferguson has pointed out on many occasions in recent seasons.
He added: 'Well, I think there is a weakness in the academy system, as far as Manchester United is concerned. We can't scout a boy on the south coast of England or the North East or anywhere in the east of England - yet you can bring a boy from Brazil. It seems ludicrous.
'We used to go to Newcastle and Belfast and coach them, before the academy started. We would never have got David Beckham under the present situation.
'The reason for the distance restriction was education. They said that a boy from, say, Newcastle travelling to Manchester two days a week for coaching would have his education interfered with. You can understand that. But I don't think we have ever done that.
'You have to ask what would be a boy's best chance of being able to get to the top. Would it be at Torquay, or somewhere like that, or at big clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea?
'And who has produced more players for their countries than Manchester United?'
United's youth academy is full of players from around the world, with the club becoming adept recently at spotting youngsters in countries such as Brazil.
It has, however, been the arrival of players Pogba and, previously, the Italian striker Federico Macheda that has caused other clubs to complain.
'The EEC allows players to move,' said Ferguson. 'You can't stop a boy, once he has left school, moving from his country. So, that's not an issue.
'You can't take a boy from Brazil until he's 18, unless he has a European passport. We know that. We are well within the regulations.'
