JJ Gabriel Story Shouldn’t Be Newsworthy at Manchester United

Of all the questions Michael Carrick was asked in the wake of Manchester United’s Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton, the one he dealt with the best was about the future of 15-year-old JJ Gabriel.

Gabriel has been in the news all week for reportedly demanding his registration be cancelled at Old Trafford, as his camp looks to find him a move to either Barcelona or Real Madrid.

Whilst the timing of the news was a shock, those within the club have long feared that Gabriel’s father would be a problem.

Whilst it’s impossible to know exactly what has occurred from the outside, it would be fair to assume that a 15-year-old boy isn’t telling Manchester United he won’t train of his own volition.

This is a youngster who has yet to play senior football at a competitive level, and is still in a fundamental development phase both as an athlete and as a human being.

Manchester United is a behemoth in sporting terms; you don’t just tell them you won’t train unless you’re instructed to by someone with a closer bond… i.e. a parent.

Here is the crucial point. A lot of criticism has been directed at Gabriel, which is very alarming.

15-year-olds shouldn’t be reading about themselves online; they shouldn’t be so heavily talked about. In terms of natural human growth and social development, people of that age rarely have the cognitive structure to deal with such attention. It’s not natural.

When you’re young, you generally feel that your parents are right about most things. You have such a small amount of world exposure that it’s all you know. It seems unfair that someone of such a young age be criticised for not pulling rank over their father.

The real ire should be directed at the player’s father… because his actions aren’t in the best interest of his son’s social development and career.

Manchester United Aren’t in a Position to Ignore Talent

The strange factor in this entire debacle is an adage that is true across many football clubs. ‘If you’re good enough, you’re old enough’.

If you look at the list of names of teenage superstars who made their mark on senior football, you’ll begin to understand my point.

• Lamine Yamal: Debut at 15 years old
• Wayne Rooney: Debut at 16 years old
• Cesc Fabregas: Debut at 16 years old
• Kylian Mbappe: Debut at 16 years old
• Diego Maradona: Debut at 15 years old

Players who are genuinely special talents can succeed in senior football. Their clubs recognise it and give them opportunities.

It’s not as if Manchester United are overstocked with top performers right now either. If Manchester United thought JJ Gabriel could come into the first team and make an impact, he would be in there like a shot.

So, if this Manchester United doesn’t feel JJ Gabriel is ready to play, what makes his father believe that a much higher-quality Barcelona/Real Madrid side will judge things differently?

Manchester United are a club that historically gives young players a chance. This isn’t a scenario like at Chelsea where parents feel that their kid will never get a fair shot. You could argue JJ Gabriel is in the best possible place to get a chance at the top level.

Is Jose Mourinho Really Going to Put Him in Right Away? No.

This isn’t to say Gabriel can’t make it. Neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo made their senior debuts until 17; some people just develop at a different rate. His father would do well to remember that and not rush his son.

In doing just that, he’s thrust his 15-year-old son into the public eye, and that’s just not fair.

Michael Carrick spoke about the well-being of the boy, and that’s the main point here. This should never have been a news story, and the only one who will suffer is the innocent party in this… the player.