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A friend
of TCF "United Supporteren" has send us this brilliant interview with newly signing Danny
Drinkwater. This is recently made and his ambition was just weeks ago to
get a chance to establish himself in the Man Utd first team, but now
it's Leicester City that will get the benefit from this young talented
midfielder.
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United still
the goal ?
It's a long
time since Man Utd managed to get a Manchester boy into the first team.
Highly talented Danny Drinkwater still has ambitions to get his
breakthrough in the first team.
The goal is to eastblish myself in the Man Utd team, that is may
ultimate ambition. He says that is the final step in his progress as a
player, but Drinkwater admits that it is a bit left to get there.
He refuses to set an concrete goal when this should be, or would not
like to tell it to anyone. At the end of last season he has spent two
seasons out on loan and as we all know this season been with Barnsley.
After the season end it woud be wise to sit down with the manager and
hear what type of plans Sir Alex has for my future. My plan is always to
play for Man Utd. This is my ambition and a dream since I was a boy.
If the coaching staff and Sir Alex desides to send me out on loan, that
will be what happens and I have to listen to the best manager in the
World, and I hope that he one day will pick me for the first team and
that I can learn from him.
The midfielder will in March (2011) be 21 years of age, and he admits
that it will be a make or break soon, but there are examples of others
using even more time to get into the first team squad, but it could be
that I must consider a move to somewhere else.
Every season is important, but when you reach 21 or 22 you have to be in
or around the first team in the club you play for. I am a type of guy
that likes to progress with experience. I learned a lot from my 12 games
with Cardiff and will learn from my time with Watford.
injuries and illness made me change !
After a spell on loan at Huddersfield during the 2009/10 season.
Drinkwater played 30+7 games for the Terriers, before going on a new
loan at Cardiff. The intention was to play for Cardiff the whole 2010/11
season, but just five days after the transfer window closed he was back
at Man Utd. 48 hours later he was again loaned out, this time to Watford.
- This is a club that I really like and I am doing ok here. I am not
fully established in the first team, but in a while I believe that this
will be a good move for me, says Drinkwater and explains why he changed
clubs.
- Sir Alex had a chat with me, and he was keen to get me to a club that
would give me more oppertunites. It was good at Cardiff in the beginning
but an injury and illnes made the club take in more players and I was a
bit down the pecking order when I again was back to full fitness.
The season at Huddersfield was at League 1 level, but this season I am
playing in the Championship. It's good to take one step at the time.
- Huddersfield gave me a good learning curve, and around Christmas I was
at my best. We reached the play-off's but lost in the semi's, but it was
great to play at that level and in front of a big crowd and with
pressure.
Man
Utd is still in contact with the player, despite being on loan for such
a long time. Watford in before them Cardiff and Huddersfield send DVD's
to United to give them a view on how he has played.
- I am still in contact with Warren Joyce, and the contact between Man
Utd and Watford is good.
I would like to score more !
The midfielders is not a big lad. 1,78 m, and a weight of around 70 kg.
But he is a player that likes to take responsibillity and one that
doesn't hide on the field. He has good technigue, but he is still not a
finished article.
- I am a box to box player, and likes a pacy game. Likes to go forward
with other players and link up. Usually I play in central midfield, but
I have nothing against playing on the flanks. I try to progress with my
game and train everyday to be a better player.
- I have played different systems with different clubs and likes a
direct game and to go forward with many players. We do that at Watford,
but while playing for Huddersfield we had a different style of playing
at times.
Danny Drinkwater was first spotted at the age of 8 and joined Man Utd in
2006, two years later he signed on as a professional. He has grown up in
the famous Man Utd academy and lived it from inside.
- I was only 8 when i first came to Man Utd. I have seen the academy
from inside and can tell you that the club has given this academy a lot
of attention and used big resources to get it were it is today.
- United has a tradition to get players through to the first team from
the academy. I played under Brian McClair who is the manager of the
academy, and he has an experience and knowledge that he is clever to "deliver"
to the youth players.
Drinkwater was 16 when he made his reserve team debut. That was back in
2006/2007 season when the reserves won the north resverve team league in
England. He played for the reserves for another two seasons.
- For me that was a big step forward, and I learned a lot from playing
in the reserves. I had played three seasons in the reserve team when I
went out on loan. I felt that was the right move for me at the time and
to play regular first team league football was better than being in the
reserves.
- The pressure and expectations in first team League football is
important to learn, something you will never get used to if you just
play reserve team football.
Scholes as idol !
As a Man Utd fan and midfielder you could have picked many midfielders
to admire.
- I have always rated Paul Scholes. He is an incredible player, one that
I really like to "copy". His passes, his vision for the game and his
shot is fantastic. Players like Eric Cantona and David Beckham was also
great, as so many other Man Utd players have been in the past. I try to
learn from the first teamers at Man Utd by watching live or on telly.
Drinkwater was on the bench when Man Utd played Hull in the 2008/2009
season. The Premier Leauge title was allready won and it was only three
days before the Champions League final. As a sub that day he could see
how players like Gary Neville, Darren Fletcher and Wes Brown and Sir
Alex all prepared before a game they won 1-0.
- It was a great experience to see what this is all about. I could see
how they all prepared in front of a game.
- My hope and ambition is one day to be there myself and play for the
first team at Man Utd. Both a player and a fan of Man Utd.
Danny
Drinkwater has played at England U.18 and U.19 level and also been in
the U.21 squad. He scored in his U.18 debut against Ghana.
- It is always a great honour to play for England, and everytime I take
on that shirt I get very proud. My family is also very proud. To play
for the national team is a big step in my career and international games
is something to get great experience from.
- I grew up in Timperley, South Manchester and has always been red. My
dad I and I watched the youth team many times and as often as we could
we also visited Old Trafford. One of the reasons I work so hard with my
football is to make my mum and dad proud.
- I know that they would be really proud to see me one day play for the
Man Utd first team.
Two finals as a youngster !
I 2007 it was Danny Drinkwater that was one of the key players in a Man
Utd team that reached the final in the FA Youth Cup. In the final they
lost to Liverpool, but Drinkwater took revenge the year after and scored
the winner in the final of the Manchester Senior Cup.
- I played in two youth cup finals, despite being in the defeated side I
learned a lot from that. A great experience to be inolved. I have also
won the
reserve team league with Man Utd and to win a trophy is always great.
FACTFILE:
Name: Daniel Drinkwater
Born: 06.03.1990, Manchester
Position: Midfielder
Signed professional terms: June 2008
Loan: Huddersfield, Cardiff, Watford, Barnsley
One game as an unused sub for Man Utd against Hull City in 2009, England
Youth International.
Thanks to "Friends of TCF" for the interview.
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