The Ideal Progression Of A United Starlet

For as long as I have been a Manchester United fan, one quote has always stood out from the rest. "If they are good enough, they are old enough." – These words were uttered by none other than the great Sir Matt Busby.

Whether it was the tragically unfulfilled potential of Duncan Edwards or the genius of Bobby Charlton, Sir Matt was true to his word. If the players were good enough, they would find themselves picked for the first team. It is a belief that survived with Sir Alex Ferguson, and something we can still see in the squad today. There is no more obvious example than Ryan Giggs, or the recently retired Paul Scholes and Gary Neville. In Tom Cleverley, Danny Welbeck and Kiko Macheda we have three more players that appear likely to get their chance in the first team this season. The message is clear: If you are good enough, you will get you chance at Old Trafford.

Ryan Tunnicliffe is one of the players of tomorrow. Do not be fooled by the introductory quote, I am not of the belief that Tunnicliffe is good enough just yet. However, I do most certainly believe that he has the potential to be good enough and that it is a matter of when, not if. His breakthrough into the first team is definitely approaching, and at the age of 18, Tunnicliffe has time on his side. Fresh off an outstanding season with the Reserves and U18's that saw the young midfielder named the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year, Tunnicliffe now heads out to Peterborough United to continue his development under the watchful eye of Sir Alex's son, Darren.

So, what makes Tunnicliffe stand out for the first team? Perhaps his tireless work rate is his best attribute. A quality tackler, Tunnicliffe has a constant desire to win the ball back and will chase down his opponent to win back possession. He is a warrior that commands the midfield, much like, dare I say, Roy Keane. Moreover, like the legendary Keane, in the true mold of a box-to-box midfield, Tunnicliffe has become well rounded in all aspects of his game.

Though his tackling does stand out, Tunnicliffe can do it all and is only getting better. He is not a player of flair or creativity, leaving that to his typical midfield partners of Paul Pogba and Ravel Morrison instead. What Tunnicliffe does is simple but effective. He probably will never be a favorite for the highlights reels because what he does is very understated. Tunnicliffe has a decent touch in his locker and is reasonably quick, making him an asset for building an attack and pushing forward with the ball. The kid has intelligence on his side, which has helped him to read the game and act as a playmaker at times. He can pick out and successfully execute a pass, a facet of his game that made massive leaps last season.

Simply put, Tunnicliffe has the unquenchable desire to win that sets youngsters apart at Manchester United. He has not let deficiencies in his game be a roadblock, instead using them as motivation to improve. He will track back to win back possession and seconds later get forward to support the attack. He does whatever needs to be done to win the game, and he does it well. While the brilliance of Morrison and the stunning goals from Pogba have stolen the attention and gotten fans raving, Tunnicliffe has quietly put himself on Sir Alex Ferguson's radar with the simplicity at which he influences the game.

So, what comes next? Like many before him, Tunnicliffe will spend time learning the game from Sir Alex's son. Now too good to waste his talents in the Reserves, he will instead set out to prove his quality in the Championship for the next six months with the Posh. Rather than easing him in with a League One or League Two side, Tunnicliffe will go straight into the Championship; a fantastic test for promising youngsters to prove themselves. It is a great situation for a United starlet to find himself in. If he can prove himself at that level, then there will undoubtedly be a call from Darren to his father to confirm what so many have already said - that Tunnicliffe is destined for the first team of Manchester United. Of course, first he must get himself into the Posh first team and prove himself in England's second tier, but I have the utmost confidence that he will wow all the critics, and most importantly the United staff.

What comes after, I cannot say. It may be an extra few months with Peterborough United. Perhaps United will loan him out to a Premier League side to prove he is ready for the top level. Maybe he will even be called back and get his chance in a few low-profile games for United. Whatever waits beyond his stay with the Posh, one thing remains certain in my eyes - Tunnicliffe has a bright future at the Theatre of Dreams.

For a scouting reports on Tunnicliffe, check out Sky Sports Scout.