Nice interview with Devaney in today's Chronicle. https://www.barnsleychronicle.com/a...as-we-celebrate-jacobs-manchester-united-deal
Scouted by Manchester United whilst playing for Penistone Church, did you forget to mention him to your mate Bobby? Everything thats wrong with kids football.
If it was my lad I'd just point out to him that he could spend years at somewhere like United or City and never get near the first team or like John Stone Jude Bellingham he could sign for a smaller club get a chance at the first team at 16 /18 and get a move to a bigger club as a first team player. The big club like City, United and Chelsea should have limits put on the size of their academies to prevent them hoovering up talented kids who then get lost in their systems and never see the first team before being binned and in some cases lost to football.
The impression I get is that he doesn't want to. Seems to very much enjoy the coaching/assistant role.