Wesley’s Birthday Blues…
Later today, as he blows out the 27 candles decorating his birthday cake, defender Wesley Brown would be forgiven for being more than a little anxious about his future.
For much of his United career, the Longsight-born centre-back has been feted for the strength of his all-round game and referred to frequently by commentators as “accomplished,” “talented” and “highly-rated.”
Sir Alex warmed to this theme last April, describing the player as “an outstanding defender” and a “real, true, natural defender, fantastic to have in your squad.”
Yet for all the approval of his club boss, Brown has made less than 250 appearances in the eight years since breaking into the United first team squad. Cruciate ligament and ankle injuries have been the bane of Brown’s career to date. It has become something of an orthodoxy to claim that Brown would be a fixture once he won his personal fitness battle and played himself back into the United first 11.
Stage one of that equation has now been completed, which is no mean feat given the cruel luck he has suffered. But now Brown has found that the goal posts have changed. It is no longer football wounds that keep Brown from a starting place. Rather, it is serious competition from committed rivals desperate to replace him in Sir Alex Ferguson’s favour. Chief among them is the brave and industrious Serb Nemanja Vidic, whose clichéd ‘no-nonesense’ defending has seen him emerge as the natural partner for the occasionally erratic but effortlessly composed Rio Ferdinand.
Of course, Brown has responded to the shifting sands with fighting talk. “I’m just going to carry on going,” he said defiantly. “I started a few games at the start of the season but I haven’t started since we lost to Arsenal.
“There is competition for places and there will be a point where I am needed. It’s just a matter of taking it when it comes. But I’ll be ready whenever the manager needs me.”
Brown’s interview, published by the official United website, is exactly the response for which Sir Alex would have hoped. Both manager and defender must know however, that Brown will have to offer a lot more than preparedness if his Old Trafford prospects are to improve.
Arguably, the England international has more chance of getting into the United team at right fullback than in central defence. Gary Neville’s growing propensity towards injury will offer Brown a few more starts for the first team this season. Whilst, Brown claims to be happy for any opportunity, central defence surely plays better to his strengths.
Yet agonisingly for Brown, Sir Alex Ferguson may soon have little choice but to skip a generation and promote the talented crop of young, classy United defenders now being groomed away from the limelight, just as he did a decade ago.
In mid-summer, Sir Bobby Charlton gave the first hint of the gold in reserve at Old Trafford. He said : “I remember going to see Alex at the training ground a few years ago and was told he was out on pitch 11 or something. On the way over I saw this young lad weave past about three players and smash the ball into the top corner and thought ‘wow’. Alex told me ‘That’s young Ryan Giggs and we have just signed him this morning.’
“I got exactly the same sensation watching us in the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals last season, only this time it was about defenders and midfielders. There were four or five of them and I remember thinking ‘wow’ again — I’ve never been so impressed.”
Within the next year, Sir Alex is expected to draft into his first team pool, centre half Gérard Pique, now quietly learning his trade in his native Spain. More ominous for Brown, is the rising profile of teenager Johnny Evans, an international even before he has started a league match in red.
The precocious Evans was outstanding on his debut, helping Northern Ireland to a famous victory over Spain last September. Northern Ireland captain, Aaron Hughes, speaking after Evans swift elevation from the junior national side to taking on the likes of Torres and Raul said: “I think that’s the last time he’ll play in the under-21s. I can’t remember a debut as good as that. He’d only been in the squad two days but came in and handled it easily. He’s got every chance of making it, he might not even need a bit of luck.”
Evans certainly has no doubts about his abilities and his confidence is shared by the manager. “There were a lot of clubs interested me. I only wanted to play for one club,” Evans declared in a recent interview. “Alex Ferguson has already said that maybe I will be playing for the first team in a year.”
Evans is now on loan at United’s Belgian feeder club Royal Antwerp. Injury, a loss of form or a failure to progress could stall the momentum now powering the young starlet inexorably towards the United first team. If luck rides with the Belfast boy however, United’s future is unlikely to be Brown. AU
© Copyright: Absolutely United 2006
