Morrison’s unravelling is painful to watch, but he CAN be saved
NOT much upsets and surprises me these days but Ravel Morrison getting the heave- ho after just four months at Den Haag leaves me cold.
Th e re’s n o r ul e b o o k f or nurturing exciting emerging p l ay e r s , a n d of t e n s o c i a l circumstances mean young men h e a d i nt o f a me a nd f or t un e wit hout t h e r i g ht support networks.
Ravel’s club to club to club journey is a cautionary tale for any hotly- touted kid out there. And one for clubs to look at and wonder how talent is wasted.
Here i s a guy who should have 400 Manchester United performances under his belt, trophies, the heartbeat of any team. Now his career could be on the scrap heap aged 27, done, finished.
Rio Ferdinand once named Ravel one of the most talented kids he’d ever seen play. Senior Manchester United pl ayers believed he was destined for the t op. Three years ago S am Allardyce described him as “the biggest waste of talent” he’d worked with.
Th e f o r mer Manch e s t e r Uni t e d y o u t h p l a y e r h a s bounced around t he world trying to find a home.
West Ham, Birmingham , QPR , Cardiff, Lazio, Atlas in Mexico, Ostersund in Sweden, Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and Den Haag in Holland ( right).
He’s never played more than 30 games for the same club.
Why has his talent drifted away into oblivion?
He has to take some personal responsibility. He has to ask himself questions as to why he has been repeatedly bombed out. But i t has al s o b e e n reported he has suffered from a form of ADHD which needed medication. There are often stories behind a player that only later emerge.
I do believe there is a home for everyone somewhere – a place where even a personality who can’t seem to maintain a long relationship can settle.
Some may argue that at this point we give up on Ravel and send him p a c k i n g i n t o n o n - league or retirement.
They may say he is a l ost cause. But there will be regret, surely, among all his former coaches who saw talent i n h i m , t h a t t h e y couldn’t get it out of him. His will always be a career unfulfilled.
He really should have won cups and league titles. But that takes mental attitude as well as a physical gift. An ability to read a s i t u a t i o n , a d a p t t o personalities and f it in . I ’ve heard that quite a few people in the game have tried to help.
L i k e w h e n h e w a s a t Manchester United as a kid, Gar y Neville wanted to get Ravel to live with him to sort out his issues. Wayne Rooney spoke with him too.
C o u n t l e s s o t h e r s have t r i ed , and h e’s undoubtedly left many a c oach , or mentor, frustrated and angry at not listening. I just wish he’d found that one club, o or one manager, that he c could click with, and be g guided by.
It makes me sad when you see a career go down the toilet. When the biggest issue is what might have been, rather than debating the high points.
Football is a ruthless game and will quickly leave even the biggest talents behind , and move on to those who fit in and show drive.
Is it worth one last go? Will he f ind the 12th club of his professional career?
That has to be in doubt, but I hope he can settle, thrive and be happy s omewhere pl ay i ng football.
He f ol l ows me on s oci al media and so many times I wish he’d have reached out for a chat or a word because, like him, when I was a player my support network at times was full of hangers- on and poor influences.
He’s still got time, maybe, but it’s possibly gone too far to turn around now.
I ’d have a message for him: Give me a bell kid...
Even now you might be able to get four years of enjoyment and love for the game into those legs.
You’re a long time retired.