I coached Manchester United’s rising star who impressed Wayne Rooney – amazed me as a kid

Manchester United created ‘The Graduate Lounge’ at Carrington last season. The space is a designated area for parents and families at the academy and celebrates players from United’s youth program who have made their first-team debuts.

There is a buffet area serving free hot food and soft drinks and a great mural of academy greats from Sir Bobby Charlton to Paul Scholes and Marcus Rashford.

The names of each graduate can be found on the wall, but a striking picture of Ethan Wheatley with the number ‘250’ has been framed behind the glass, which draws the eye. The photo is a nod to Wheatley making history last season and is a touch of class in a thoughtful space.

Every academy player who has made a senior bow at Old Trafford is celebrated, but Wheatley became the 250th player to do so when he was substituted on the pitch in a 4-2 win against Sheffield United on April 24, which represented a significant milestone. .

READ ALSO: I got fired and my world came crashing down – now I’m borrowing

ALSO READ: Former United manager Kieran McKenna’s rise story

“It’s a great club with a huge history, especially in the academy. It’s an honor to make my debut and that number – 250. That’s a bit more,” Wheatley said on the night.

“I was just excited and when I got the call (to come), there were a few nerves, but as soon as I was stripped and ready to go, I was excited and did everything I could for the team.”

Making a debut for United is a phenomenal achievement and players are influenced by their parents, coaches, siblings and colleagues in their journeys towards that progress.

Paul Strutt was Wheatley’s first coach at Dukinfield Youth. He coached the youngster until he joined United’s academy aged nine and has fond memories of that time.

“Ethan came to us at Dukinfield when he was six, because that’s when we start our football school,” Strutt said Manchester Evening News. “There were regular scouts from United, City and Everton watching at Curzon Ashton where all the kids were playing then.

“Because Ethan was fast, he was always your ‘get out of jail free’ card. It could go further, but we didn’t tend to frame the kids with a position at that age, we just tended to see where they felt most comfortable. , and Ethan was comfortable in midfield and played there for us.

“But because he was so skilled, he basically had a free role where he would walk and run. We had some good defenders and he would just pick the ball up and drive it forward.”

Wheatley was outstanding for United’s under-18s last season and was nicknamed ‘250’ by his academy mates after writing his name in the club’s history books.

There is also a brilliant story of how Wheatley, who was described as a ‘bright pupil’, returned to school at Ashton-on-Mersey the day after his debut. He has now completed his formal education but won’t need a BTEC in marketing if he is to keep scoring goals.

“I know he was only on the pitch for 10 minutes on his debut but you’re just proud as a coach to see a kid you’ve helped start from the basics of football to eventually play for United , so hopefully he’ll be back on the pitch for the first team this season,” Strutt said.

“Having won what he did with the U18s, he deserves it. We have almost 300 kids at Duckinfield and if two or three make it, that’s what it’s all about.

“It would be nice to have Ethan visit the club and when we have our next presentation, come down and bring some mates and say this is where he started, humble beginnings and that’s what you thrive on and where you can. go if you thumbs down and get on with it.”

Wheatley certainly “got it” last season, scoring 12 goals in 16 league appearances between the academy ages and playing a key role in the U18s, claiming a hat-trick. United won two of those trophies at the expense of rivals Manchester City and enjoyed a special campaign.

Wheatley’s brace against City was enough to win the PL Cup at Leigh Sports Village and he was substituted at half-time to feature against Sheffield United. Wayne Rooney watched from the stands at Leigh and would have been impressed by the goals.

Erik ten Hag was behind the pre-arranged change as he needed Wheatley on the first-team bench less than 24 hours later, but he also understood he deserved to play in that final.

Wheatley enjoyed a whirlwind two days, scoring the goals that won the trophy for the U18s and making his debut the following night. He was well deserved and trained consistently with the first team in the final three months of the season, which was another indicator of progress.

Wheatley is understood to have been in the FA Cup final at Wembley but was away with England U18s and scored twice on his debut for the Three Lions. Wheatley has no Malaysian heritage and is not eligible for the Malaysian national team, despite rumours.

United’s coaches felt Wheatley improved massively last season and really grew in quality which made his debut possible and the staff were also pleased with how he adapted to playing in multiple teams – U18 , Under 21 and first team – and many different competitions. . He’s bulked up after what one source described as “hard work in the gym” with strength and conditioning coaches, and Strutt saw him just a few weeks ago.

“Ethan’s grown taller now,” Strutt said. “I bumped into him recently at Hyde United, I was watching a game up there and he was about 6ft 4in because I’m 6ft and I was thinking damn Ethan, you’ve shot yourself! He was emaciated and always weak. when he was a child.

“When he first came to Dukinfield he was quite a shy child. He had a big afro, but the group of guys at the time, who I took over as a team, had been together for a few years.

“Like most children, after two or three weeks they start to feel welcome and start to go out on their own, and Ethan did, to be fair. There were never any problems with him.

Wheatley was a huge United fan as a child and regularly attended Dukinfield training sessions wearing the club’s kit. “He was just a nice, nice kid who was always happy and wanted to play football, but he always wanted to do something more than everyone else,” explained Strutt.

“I will always remember this goal he scored when we were playing in the final and he threw the ball up with his right foot and hit it with his left. He was only eight years old at the time.

“It went straight into the top corner. It was only a small field because they were young, but I thought, Holy Moly… where did that come from? The way he threw it up and swung it was amazing.

“He always had something about him. He also had good parents, they made sure he got to the games and he was just a good person, so his success is no surprise.”

Wheatley’s talent and character have taken him to where he is today, although his temper was tested last season when he was involved in a shocking incident with a Liverpool teenager who assaulted him by punching him in the face during an U18 game at Carrington.

A club source said Wheatley “did really well”, staying calm on the day and throughout the following week, and had the last laugh when he scored against Liverpool in the reverse fixture, prompting him to replicate the memorable ‘knockout’ Rooney’s boxing. celebration.

Wheatley came out of his shell as he matured and United’s academy boss Nick Cox tells a story about him being a shy kid who disliked overseas travel when he was younger. So how did United stay happy when he was away from his family? They bribed him with pancakes.

There are fewer pancakes for Wheatley these days, which is part and parcel of being a professional footballer (he signed his first professional contract when he celebrated his 17th birthday) and leads a lifestyle dedicated to trying to fulfill the dream of starting for his. childhood club every week.

However, there is still a score to be settled, according to Strutt, as the internet has Wheatley as having left Stockport when he spent most of his life in Hyde.

“It’s actually from Gee Cross in Hyde,” explained Strutt. “He was born in Stockport and his dad played for Woodley, but when I talk to people about Ethan they get defensive.

“When I talk about him, everyone shouts ‘HE’S NOT FROM STOCKPORT, HE’S FROM HYDE!’ It has been in Gee Cross most of its life and the people of the area are proud to see.

“I’ve followed his progress closely over the last couple of years and got a couple of messages last season when he was first on the bench for United against Bournemouth.

“I thought wow when I heard that. I was on his Instagram following his progress and people were telling me things and sending me photos. He was with all his mates when I saw him last week, so it was just a quick hello, but it would be nice to hang out with him.

“I have dozens of pictures of them playing for Ducky’s teams with his big curly hair and I even sent him one of the pictures. We’ve had a few guys play for United like Will Fish and Rhys Bennett. I played for Dukinfield which is great.

“We all play a small part, they go on and fingers crossed they all achieve something. It’s all up to Ethan now and I think he’ll be around the first team but let’s say he leaves United in a few years, he can have a great career and I will always watch him and be proud of what he has done.

“Ethan played for the team he supported as a schoolboy and I wish him well. He’s just a lovely boy and deserves what he gets in the future.”

Everyone connected with Wheatley hopes his United debut was just the start of his journey with the first team and he was named the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year last season, an award won by the likes of Ryan Giggs, Scholes, Rashford. and Kobbie Mainoo.

Cox presented the award to Wheatley and said: “Ethan really deserves this award, having represented the club to the highest standard in six different competitions this season. He improved throughout the season by committing to his training schedule, building on every performance and getting stronger through hard work and perseverance.

“He has made a lot of progress, which was recognized last month when Ethan made his first-team debut and became the 250th academy graduate to play for United. The U18s have had a fantastic season so I’ve only picked one player to win this one. the award was really challenging.”

There is a feeling that last season’s U18s were just as talented as the 2022 Youth Cup-winning side, which included Alejandro Garnacho and Mainoo – and Wheatley could soon become a permanent member of the senior squad if he goes on the footsteps of his slightly older colleagues.

Last weekend, Wheatley started against Rangers in the second pre-season summer friendly in Scotland and was just denied an opener by a goal-line clearance.

Wheatley was named in the traveling squad for the tour of the United States earlier this week and could feature in friendlies against Arsenal, Real Betis and Liverpool. His family, friends, Strutt and everyone else involved in his journey will be closely watched if he does. United fans have a young striker to get excited about.