Manchester United Under-21s lead coach Travis Binnion has explained a controversial Shea Lacey decision following his promotion to the first-team.
Shea Lacey is known to be one of Manchester United’s brightest young prospects, enjoying an impressive season for both club and country.
Despite injuries disrupting his progress in recent years, the 18-year-old winger is now fully fit and thriving on the pitch.
Earlier in the campaign, Lacey’s progress was recognised with involvement in training with the England senior squad under Thomas Tuchel; an opportunity that came even before he had made his debut for the Under-20s.
Following on from that, Lacey has been included in matchday squads for United against Everton and Crystal Palace. He is also expected to be in the squad to face West Ham.
Binnion explains controversial Lacey decision
United’s Under-21s played a game against Anderlecht in the Premier League International Cup on Tuesday night and Travis Binnion did not select Lacey in his squad for the game.
Some fans were concerned by this as they feel like Lacey needs time on the time to keep sharp and he is unlikely to come on against the Hammers, and if he does then it will probably only be for five or 10 minutes.
But U21s lead coach Binnion has explained how Lacey is at a stage of his development where training with the first-team regularly is ‘far more important’ than playing with the Under-21s.
“Sometimes, Ruben or Jason might want a certain player to go and train, sometimes, we might feel that the [Academy] game is really important for a player, so another player might get the opportunity to train with the first team,” began Binnion when speaking on the United Podcast.
“We can’t lose sight of this, the development of training with the first team is massive and, being around Ruben and his staff, to be ready when the opportunity comes.
“So I would say Shea is going through that phase now, where that period of training is far more important than any games.
“But, in the previous months’ games, for Shea to play was really important for him to get that body of games and confidence.”
Lacey is closing in on debut
The position Lacey is now in feels similar to where Kobbie Mainoo was in the back-end of the 2022/23 campaign under Erik ten Hag.
Mainoo played most of the games for the U21s in the first half of that season but then made his debut for the first-team and was regularly with the squad across the week.
Lacey also might get more opportunities than Mainoo did as the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad are leaving for AFCON later this month.
While senior players like Mason Mount and Joshua Zirkzee can move across to that right side of attack, Ruben Amorim has made it clear that he likes opposite-footed wingers on each side and that could give Lacey an advantage to break through.
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