Archie Knox: Only Rooney, Giggs were certain stars at 14

October 31, 2017
Posted by Steven Tan | Source from Tribal Football
Former Manchester United and Everton assistant Archie Knox says Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney were the only kids he was assured would become top-class footballers.
 
Knox's 37 year career spanned many clubs, most notably Manchester United, where he arrived in 1986 alongside Alex Ferguson. The Scotsman had already spent time with Fergie at Aberdeen before moving south of the border. He also spent time with Walter Smith at both Rangers and Everton.
 
He played a pivotal role in the United youth set-up, having help recruit, train and nurture the famed Class of 92', which featured the likes of Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Gary and Phil Neville and Nicky Butt.
 
But in the eyes of the 70-year-old, Giggs and Rooney are a cut above the rest.
 
"I've only been associated with two players in my entire career, that at the age of 14, you knew that with these two it was a guarantee that they were going to be top players," Knox told Tribal Football.
 
"The first one was Ryan Giggs at Manchester United and the second one was Wayne Rooney at Everton. You would have put money on them being top players.
 
"There were other ones like [Paul] Scholes, [David] Beckham, [Gary] Neville. that type of player at their age you think hopefully there going be good, but you never would have given them the same guarantee that they would have been top players to come through.
 
Why?
 
"Well its just a thing that they had. They had natural temperament and that sort of thing. You would have said that their game was not going to alter," Knox added.
 
"Especially Wayne Rooney, he had an opportunity to play in the first team at Everton at 15 years of age, not as a regular, but maybe coming on as a substitute, and Ryan Giggs was nearly the same because he made his debut at 17.
 
"They have had incredible careers, but that whole group of payers: Nicky Butt, Beckham, the Neville brothers, Scholes, Giggs, plus a few others, went on to be fantastic players and fantastic Manchester United players
 
"Could you imagine what they would have been worth now? If your putting Pobga at £90m, then there at or above that level.
 
Asked if Pogba was worth £90m, what would Scholes be worth, Knox replied: "No price."
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