Starlet Hints At Chelsea Exit

[Chelsea FC Champions]

Chelsea youngster Michael Mancienne has conceded he may be forced to leave Stamford Bridge in a bid to further his career.

The highly-rated 20-year-old has yet to make the breakthrough at Chelsea since coming through the youth ranks.

Mancienne has had two successful loan spells at Queens Park Rangers over the last few years, but he has been able to make an impression in the star-studded Chelsea line-up.

The versatile defender, who is a regular in the England Under-21 side, admits it is frustrating being forced to play reserve-team football.

"I understand the problem at Chelsea because there are so many top quality players," Mancienne told The Sun.

"But it can get you down when you are a regular with England Under-21s but you go back to the reserve team. It's very frustrating.

"My game has blossomed under Stuart Pearce and my education at Chelsea has been top class.

"But I am at a stage now where I need to play first team football and feel ready to test myself at the highest level.

"I will keep trying to catch the boss' eye but eventually you have to be honest and start thinking about what's best for your career."

Mancienne will be a member of the Under-21 squad looking to finish the job off against Wales in their Euro 2009 play-off on Tuesday night.

England go into the second-leg at Villa Park winning 3-2 from the first leg and Mancienne is relishing the clash.

"This is what it's all about, lots of pressure and expectancy on big nights," added Mancienne.

"This team can go all the way if we get past Wales. Playing at Wembley in our final group game against Portugal was a reminder of what is out there for you."

source

[BlueBeard]

No real surprise there. It's only a matter of time before Scott Sinclair starts thinking the same way (if he's not already), and I can't blame them. I can't see either of them breaking into the first team under Scolari, he's had a few chances to blood some youngsters this season and has been extremely averse to doing so. Di Santo only got half a game because of injury, while Sinclair & Mancienne seem to have virtually disappeared altogether. If he doesn't intend to use the youngsters coming through our youth system, what's the point in having a youth system? And I'm not just having a pop at Scolari, youngsters really struggled to get a game under Mourinho & Ranieri too (Grant doesn't count).

Maybe one way of dealing with this problem would be to let decent youngsters go out on loan to Premiership clubs for playing experience, maybe teams like Sunderland, Stoke, WBA or Hull. Sending them to a club in the Championship or League 1 or 2 isn't really going to help them become a top class player, whereas if they get a few games in the premiership it can only do good. Having said that, there's no point in them going to a Premiership club if they're not gonna get a game there either, just look at Sahar at Pompey.

Very depressing for those of us who'd like to see more youngsters coming through from the youth side, and less big money signings who more often than not turn out to be over-rated, over-priced, and don't give a sh*t about the club or it's fans. :P

[Tim W]

No real surprise there. It's only a matter of time before Scott Sinclair starts thinking the same way (if he's not already), and I can't blame them. I can't see either of them breaking into the first team under Scolari, he's had a few chances to blood some youngsters this season and has been extremely averse to doing so. Di Santo only got half a game because of injury, while Sinclair & Mancienne seem to have virtually disappeared altogether. If he doesn't intend to use the youngsters coming through our youth system, what's the point in having a youth system? And I'm not just having a pop at Scolari, youngsters really struggled to get a game under Mourinho & Ranieri too (Grant doesn't count).

Maybe one way of dealing with this problem would be to let decent youngsters go out on loan to Premiership clubs for playing experience, maybe teams like Sunderland, Stoke, WBA or Hull. Sending them to a club in the Championship or League 1 or 2 isn't really going to help them become a top class player, whereas if they get a few games in the premiership it can only do good. Having said that, there's no point in them going to a Premiership club if they're not gonna get a game there either, just look at Sahar at Pompey.

Very depressing for those of us who'd like to see more youngsters coming through from the youth side, and less big money signings who more often than not turn out to be over-rated, over-priced, and don't give a sh*t about the club or it's fans. :P

As you know BB I'm all for pushing the youngsters through, but saying that on last night's showing in the reserves Sinclair is a million miles from the first team; he constantly gave the ball away and time and time again made poor decisions with his constant shooting from impossible positions when team mates were free and in space. However, saying that, Butch Wilkins was at the game and was interviewed at half time and underlined Big Phil's commitment to blooding youth and implied that a few at least would get a run out against Burnley.

[dkw]

i alos would love to see our young players make the grade, but i dont advocate just throwing yougsters in on the basis that they are young. they need to be up to ta standard to play in chelseas team. i know that we might not know if there ever upto standard if they arent given a go, but i dont think many of the clast batch will get through. i think its more likely that the current academy lads ( though a few are now in the ressies) will be the ones to come through. i also think its a bit harsh to call scolari as he hasnt really been here long enough to evaluate the youth players. if we aer in the same sitaution this time next year then i also wouldnt be too please.

[BlueBeard]

I'm certainly not advocating putting youngsters into the first team just because they're young. The problem is, how do these youngsters get first team experience? League Cup matches would be an ideal opportunity to have a look at them, but that hasn't happened. I really hope Scolari has the balls to put at least a couple in against Burnley - if it goes tits-up, he's always got the option of having more experienced players on the bench.

I'm worried about Scott Sinclair - when he got his (brief) chance two years ago he looked like a quality youngster. I strongly believe that if he'd been given a bit of a run in the side he'd have come on leaps and bounds, but he made a handful of appearances and then disappeared again. That must have shot his confidence to pieces, and I'm not surprised his form is iffy at the moment. I can only imagine what he must have been thinking last season as he watched Malouda 'performing' in the first team. If we're gonna bring youngsters through, we've got to stick at it, not just throw them in for a couple of games and then stick them back in the reserves for a couple of years - that's not doing the players or the club any good.

[dkw]

I'm certainly not advocating putting youngsters into the first team just because they're young. The problem is, how do these youngsters get first team experience? League Cup matches would be an ideal opportunity to have a look at them, but that hasn't happened. I really hope Scolari has the balls to put at least a couple in against Burnley - if it goes tits-up, he's always got the option of having more experienced players on the bench.

I'm worried about Scott Sinclair - when he got his (brief) chance two years ago he looked like a quality youngster. I strongly believe that if he'd been given a bit of a run in the side he'd have come on leaps and bounds, but he made a handful of appearances and then disappeared again. That must have shot his confidence to pieces, and I'm not surprised his form is iffy at the moment. I can only imagine what he must have been thinking last season as he watched Malouda 'performing' in the first team. If we're gonna bring youngsters through, we've got to stick at it, not just throw them in for a couple of games and then stick them back in the reserves for a couple of years - that's not doing the players or the club any good.

im just worried that a lot of chelsea fans are expecting far too much of our young players, mainly because we havent brought any through for years and weve had stick because of this. di santo is the main one at the moment with people expecting him to be the next osgood or better, and he should be playing now, when he really needs easing through.

i, like you wuold love to see 3 or 4 play against burnley, but not 7 or 8 as they need experience alongside them.

i think its a shame with sinclair and agree he shuold have had his shot last year when malouda was poor. mancienne is the best example of what could happen to sinclair with him going out on loan to gain experience, only to end up back in the ressies on his return. but i do think its too early to expect scolari to blood too many of them, simply because he needs to get to understand them and also needs to win games in all competitions at the moment as hes new to the club.

also, arsenals situation seems to unbalance peoples views a bit with them playing youngsters in the league cup. wenger is the only manager in the top clubs that can get away with losing games like that, and get away with not winning trophys. us, liverpoo, utd, spuds etc need to win games and cant afford to go gung ho with the youth. im like any other chelsea fan and would love to see a chelsea team come through the ranks, but i dont know wether any manager would ever get the time and patience to do this.

[Tim W]

Mancienne should have gone out on loan again, possibly in the PL or at least a challenging Championship outfit. One of the biggest problems our youngsters have is the varying quality of the reserves and, after dividing the league into north and south, the lack of games. I don't consider Di Santo as one of our youth products because of the his age when he came to the club. The youth we have coming through and who I believe have a chance in a Burnley type game are Stoch, Mancienne and Sinclair. These lads have the confidence of training regular with the first team. It'll be interesting to see how Sam Hutchinson gets on now that he is finally back from injury.

[ethicalstrategy]

I have to agree with Tim about Sinclair. Not just last night but in some of the other reserve matches he hasn't looked like premiership quality. He is certainly nowhere near challenging Malouda or Kalou for a starting place.

The players in the reserves who look the best prospects are Woods, Stoch, Bridcott, Magnay (although he got himself stupidly sent off last night) and Nana.

[BlueBeard]

I have to agree with Tim about Sinclair. Not just last night but in some of the other reserve matches he hasn't looked like premiership quality. He is certainly nowhere near challenging Malouda or Kalou for a starting place.

That was kinda my point - if we'd persevered with Sinclair when he first broke into the team, he'd be a far better player now than he is. I'm not saying he should have played every game, but he should have got at least 15 first team games under his belt two years ago, and then again last season. At that time he was playing well enough to pull it off, and if we'd given him a fair chance then this season he would be challenging Malouda & Kalou for a first team place.

But no, this is Chelsea, so he was just discarded, sent out on wasteful pointless loans to Charlton & Palarse, and then stuck in the reserves and forgotten about on his return. As I said, it's no wonder he's not playing well nowadays, his confidence must be shot to pieces.

[Barn]

I haven't seen much of Mancienne but a freind of mine is a QPR fan and said he was brilliant for them, then I saw him for the U21's and was very impressed. The only real doubt I had was that he doesn't look big enough yet, he looks like a boy and for a centre half that can be a problem, that said he didn't get muscled out against the welsh, but the Prem's a big step up.

We need to start brining the kids on in games to blood them, I don't really agree that to play a load of them in the Cup is the right option, you need to get them used to playing in real games with first team players, they already know how to play in the youths and/or reserves.

[mad_mac]

Shame, I thought Mancienne would be one of the few that could make it into our first team. Sinclair seems to have a lot of pace and trickery, but he has to be lacking something or I think he'd have had a run out by now. I feel we may not see anyone break into the first team until the class of Stoch and Kakuta

Scott

[Tim W]

and then stuck in the reserves and forgotten about on his return.

That‘s a bit unfair BB, he trains everyday with the first team; and I would say the opposite playing in the reserves is making him over confident and he tends to forget it‘s a team game unlike Stoch who also trains with the first team, as does Mancienne, and Stoch is always looking for the pass, but if one is not on he will have a go. I get a feeling if Stoch was 6 inches taller he‘d be banging on the door a bit louder, but don‘t worry as soon as he gets his chance he‘ll take it with both hands.

[loz]

Just watched the England U21 game against Wales and I thought Mancienne was the stand out performer for England.

[byatt]

I was best mates at Uni with a QPR fan who raved about Mancienne and was gutted when they didn't get him again this season, i feel his Chelsea opportunities are always going to be few and far between with International pedigree defenders like JT, Riccy, Alex and Ivanovic infront of him in the pecking order. The one thing Mancienne has on his side is his youth, another year out on loan, maybe to a Premiership side will give him a chance to prove he can do it

[Backbiter]

Just watched the England U21 game against Wales u21 SECOND XI and I thought Mancienne was the stand out performer for England.

Is what you meant. 8 of the Wales U21 side are with the seniors over in Germany.

Don't have Setanta so didn't see it. Was it any good?

[byatt]

Don't have Setanta so didn't see it. Was it any good?

Brilliant first half, end to end football after the opening goal, didn't see the second half, as i lost the TV to CSI

[loz]

It was a cracking match - I saw it on a stream (albeit a bit of a ropey one) and it made for great viewing. Wales can hold their heads up high despite not qualifying as they exceeded expectations massively in both legs.

[TomP]

It is especially hard for a defender like Maccienne to make enough of an impact at lower levels to break into the first team. At least with someone like Sinclair, you can score a few spectacular goals against low-quality opposition, and it gets people talking. As a defender, what can Maccienne do? Defenders make their name by doing the unspectacular. Keeping up their concentration for a full 90 minutes, not making mistakes. Well, he's done that at every level so far.

But at what point is Scolari going to be confident that he can do that at the highest level? I can't see it happening - especially as Scolari has to pick squads based on the best talent available. That talent available is usually four established internationals and one youngster who has never done the business in the Premier league.

I hate to say this, but I think the only way Macienne and probably Sinclair as well will ever be an established first team player at Chelsea is if they leave, go and make their name at another Premier League club, then we re-sign them for millions of pounds as a 24/25 year old.

I think that we are going to have to face up to that fact the only way for a a youngster to make the jump directly from the youth teams/reserves to the first team is if they are so unbelievably talented at a young age that it is impossible not to incorporate them into the first team.

Once in a while, someone at age 16 or 17 will do this - someone like a Rooney or a Messi. But it doesn't work this way for the vast majority of players.

[icecoolguy22]

How about we give him a game this Saturday since we are missing 2 if not 3 CBs? Seriously, until we lose 2-3 players, he wont be a game. Even for Carling cup matches, Scolari wont risk him for a knock out match. It's unfortunate for him, only way out is sending him out on loan. Attackers are likely to get some time when the game is won, but you rarely see replacing a CB in a match unless of injury or having a shocker.

[Chelsea FC Champions]

Mancienne set for shock Blues debut

Thu 16 Oct, 11:30 AM

Chelsea and England centre-back Michael Mancienne could be handed a shock role at the heart of the Blues defence due to their injury crisis.Both captain John Terry (back), Alex (hip and thigh) and Ricardo Carvalho (knee) are all doubts for the Middlesbrough game and England Under-21 star Mancienne may be given his first Premier League start in order to shore-up the heart of the defence.

But even though he is ready for the chance, Mancienne admits that the lack of opportunities has caused him to think about his future at the club.

"I understand the problem at Chelsea because there are so many top-quality players. But it can get you down when you are a regular with England Under-21s but you go back to the reserve team. It's very frustrating," he said.

"I am at a stage now where I need to play first-team football and feel ready to test myself at the highest level.

"My game has blossomed under England under-21 coach Stuart Pearce and my education at Chelsea has been top class.

"I will keep trying to catch the boss' eye but eventually you have to be honest and start thinking about what's best for your career."

[PloKoon13]

Well whaddya know?

Maybe Ivanovic and Mancienne can form the ultimate central defensive partnership :D

[abramovich]

Sinclair needs to go on loan to a PL side, but nobody seems to be interested. The fact that he's linked with the likes of Swansea just confirms that at this point in time no one in Premiership is sold on his quality. I am all for giving youngsters a chance but how many 18 year olds do you know that has a legitimate shot at making it at Chelsea? Someone like Messi,Rooney,Fabregas or even Walcott - yes. Sinclair and Mancienne - probably not. That is not to say they have no talent or potential but there's a talent and there's an outstanding talent and you have to be the latter to break into this Chelsea side.

[bennyboy1976]

Looks like Mancienne has gone to Wolves unfortunately.

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[Essien's Strike]

Mancienne agrees Wolves move

what do you think about losing a youth member whos been with us for so long? not bothered as we cant bring in any defenders now anyways or upset as weve missed an opportunity to grow another possible JT?

i dont know how well mancienne was looking but i am aware hes been a prospect for several years, occasionally figuring on the bench under Jose.

[geezer]

occasionally figuring on the bench under Jose.

Really?