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News24 - Chris Smalling delivers warning to Man Utd youngsters ahead of squad rebuild
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Manchester United's youngsters must prove they have the mentality to handle the pressure of playing for the world's biggest club, according to Chris Smalling. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer intends to invest heavily in youth this summer as he begins his United rebuild and plots the club's route back to the top after last season's poor sixth-placed finish in the Premier League. Winger Daniel James, signed from Swansea for £15million, is the first signing of the Solskjaer era, with more young players set to join those already within United's ranks. Mason Greenwood, James Garner, Axel Tuanzebe, Angel Gomes and Tahith Chong are among the youngsters Solskjaer intends to take on United's pre-season tour of Australia and the Far East, with the squad flying to Perth on July 7. United have embarked on a new policy with regard to recruitment, moving away from big-money, established players, to younger signings they can nurture and develop over time, like James. Against that backdrop, Smalling, who joined United from Fulham for £10million in 2010 as a raw 20-year-old, has given an insight into the pressures of playing for the Reds and what it takes to achieve longevity at Old Trafford. “It’s about making sure you can keep to those standards,” said Smalling. “Everyone can have a breakthrough season but it’s about consistency, when you’re tested to see whether you’re the best of the best. “Ultimately, kids are learning at a young age and need to be mentally strong. It’s all good to have the talent, but the mental side is massive, as some kids are exposed to that pressure at a very early age now. “When I started at Fulham, social media was not as huge as it is now, but they started to implement a few little things there. “These days, United are very much on it in terms of making sure any kids coming through are not exposed to it too much. “We drip-feed the interviews they need to do and the manager is very clever as well. They can be involved in the squad but then go back to the reserves and it’s about that evolution. “Having a manager like Ole, who is experienced within the club, means United hit the nail on the head with that.” Smalling admitted young players can have too much expectation heaped on them too soon, resulting in them failing to reach their full potential. Adnan Januzaj, now at Real Sociedad, and Federico Macheda, playing in Greece for Panathanaikos, are among those who shone briefly at United but then faded. “Quite often, there can be a clamour from us as fans as well as players, to say 'this kid is great, let’s just throw him in' and everyone is clamouring to do that,” said Smalling. “But the manager knows the right time to bring them in and take them out. Ultimately, they've got long careers ahead of them and you don’t want them to burn out too early or be exposed too soon. “The beauty here is we’ve got the best coaches to manage it properly as this club has done year after year.” Smalling, 29, admitted he has a ke
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