Shola Shoretire is impressing behind the scenes at Manchester United with his character and work-rate, as well as his immense talent.
Having recently signed his first ever professional contract, announced days after he scored a hat-trick for United’s Under-23s, Shoretire is getting rave reviews.
He has been known by many United fans since shining for the club’s Under-18s as a 15-year-old and has made steady progress in the past two years, now training occasionally with the first team.
Under-23s boss Neil Wood admitted he has been impressed by Shoretire’s professional attitude this season.
“As the season has gone on you have seen his talent,” Wood said of the versatile 17-year-old forward. “His work rate off the ball is excellent, he is the one chasing back and getting tight to people. You see the quality in his technique and his touches, he is comfortable receiving it in tight spaces, he can turn so quickly.
“It's tough for him. He’s just turned 17 and he’s playing against some older lads and he’s had to find a way of coping and he’s done that really well. Looking back to the first game to now he’s done brilliant with that, he’s a talent and he’s one you have to be patient with and don’t expect too much too soon and let him develop and keep working.
“I think he’s very mature for his age, he’s not one spot of bother. He plays for the team, he knows the role he’s got to do to improve himself and he works his socks off every day. Anything I ask him to do he’s no problem and he will do it so yeah, I do think he’s very mature beyond his years and I think that’s helped him to settle in to playing 23s football and he’s always played with older players anyway.”
Shoretire has always played above his own age level in the United youth system, something which has continued in Wood’s Under-23 side this season.
Wood added: “He’s always been stretched in a way, he’s never had it in his own age and been the main guy and the standout which he easily could have been in the academy if he played his own age group.
“He’s used to it and it’s probably helped him along the way and he’s taken it to another level now hopefully he can continue and keep working and let’s see if he can show what he can do with his football.”
Wood also believes it would have been premature for United to send players like Shoretire, striker Joe Hugill or playmaker Hannibal Mejbri — both aged 18 — on loan this season. He believes they are in the ideal place developing in the Under-23s.
“I think it does help them,” he said. “If you’d asked Joe to go on loan this year or Hannibal or Shola it’s too soon they just wouldn’t cope in a league.
“I know people say you don’t get much out of a 23s league [but] it’s almost like that year in between they need it. Shola needed it to play with intensity to understand the work rate.”
Shoretire, Hugill and Mejbri are all expected to feature for the Under-23s when they host Arsenal at Leigh Sports Village this Friday night (7pm kick off).
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