Source: Team_Talk
Young hails Cleverley quality
Ashley Young says he is surprised his new Manchester United team-mate Tom Cleverley has not received an England call-up before now.[LNB] Less than 24 hours after his outstanding second-half cameo in the Community Shield win over Manchester City at Wembley, Cleverley was drafted into Fabio Capello's squad to face World Cup runners-up Holland at Wembley on Wednesday.[LNB]The only surprise for Young is that Cleverley, who celebrates his 22nd birthday on Friday, had to wait for injuries to rule out Jack Wilshere and Michael Carrick before receiving the good news.[LNB]"Tom is worthy of his place in the squad," said Young on Monday.[LNB]"I actually thought he might have been in it earlier. It is a massive achievement but I have worked with him for a few weeks now.[LNB]"He did really well on tour and his performance yesterday, for such a youngster, was excellent. He is a confident person and controlled the game."[LNB]For Young it promises to be a particularly significant week after collecting a first winners' medal for his new club and bringing a smile to the face of Sir Alex Ferguson.[LNB]"He does have a fear-factor - but he also has an aura," said Young.[LNB]"He instils it into you that the same mentality has to go onto the pitch with you.[LNB]"There is a real desire not to lose in training or in matches. All players think exactly the same way."[LNB]At 26, Young could hardly have expected to find himself as the oldest player on the pitch for United once Patrice Evra departed.[LNB]It is a measure of the rebuilding work Ferguson has carried out over the last two years that that was exactly what happened as the Red Devils surged back from two goals down to claim a 3-2 win and the first piece of silverware for the team Young regards as "the biggest in the world".[LNB]"When we went away to America in pre-season you could see the size of the club," he said.[LNB]"It is everything; the staff, the fan base, the team. I am just delighted to have joined them."[LNB]Young diplomatically skirted around the issue of Holland midfielder Wesley Sneijder joining United at some point after Wednesday's match.[LNB]"Sneijder has done well throughout his career, for club and country," said Young. "But he is an Inter Milan player."[LNB]However, he reacted with a broad smile when asked whether words had been exchanged with Micah Richards over the City defender's challenge on Monday, which many observers felt would have warranted a red card if it had been a league game.[LNB]"I had a chat with Micah Richards today - and yesterday," he laughed on Monday. "And I was doing the talking.[LNB]"When you meet up with England, you forget everything although, in any case, as we won, I was happy."
