Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has told the youngsters on pre-season tour what Erik ten Hag will be looking out for.
Several of the Reds' youth products were chosen to fly out with the first team squad this July for the club's tour. For the more senior members of the squad it is an opportunity to get up to match fitness ahead of the Premier League season.
However, particularly for the younger squad members, the tour represents a chance to impress their new manager and potentially force their way into Ten Hag's plans for the upcoming campaign. Ferdinand spent 12 years at Old Trafford and has pinpointed exactly what the Dutchman will be hoping to see from the youth players this summer.
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"What happens is, you get to know are these boys ready, do they want it, are they comfortable coming in training with the first team, are they scared, are they in awe, do they freeze under a bit of pressure," he told his FIVE YouTube channel. "Or do they grow and he looks like he’s got the taste for this, he looks like he wants this.
"Actually, we’re getting to the game now where there’s 60, 70, 80,000 people in Australia or in Thailand and this kid grows again. He doesn’t look phased, that’s what you want to see.
"The ones who go into that environment, they freeze or they’re in awe and they don’t really want to say too much or put the first-team players’ noses out of joint they’re the ones who slide away. You’ve got to treat it like it’s a normal environment, yes be respectful, yes show that respect because of age and seniority but get between those white lines on the pitch and we are equal and I am going to show you that I’m ready to be here.
"That was always my mindset as a young player, whenever that manager, Harry Redknapp calls me over to the first-team, when I’m in the youth team, and calls me over to train with the first team. I’m going to leave something over there that makes him go: ‘Ooh I’m going to need that in my first-team squad.'
"That’s what these young kids have got to be thinking, the moment they get over, it’s not: 'I’m scared' or: 'There’s Cristiano Ronaldo or Thiago Silva or whoever it is that they’ve classed as their heroes.' It's: 'I should be here.'"
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