Manchester United class of '92 can now go on to be winning coaches, says mentor Eric Harrison

Manchester United's medal-laden Class of 92 can replicate their playing successes and become the next generation of top coaches.

Thats the verdict of the Reds former youth coach Eric Harrison, who nurtured Old Traffords famous home-grown products and helped turn them into the most successful crop of youngsters in the clubs history.

Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Nicky Butt became the spine of the 1999 Treble winners having come through the Reds ranks together and winning the Youth Cup in 92.

Neville has become the first to break through into top-level coaching with his appointment as an assistant to new England boss Roy Hodgson on a four-year contract.

He will combine his time as part of Hodgsons backroom team with the Sky TV work for which he has gained widespread praise.

Neville has taken up his role as England prepare for Euro 2012 in June with a friendly on Saturday evening against Norway in Oslo.

And Harrison believes Neville will be joined on the coaching circuit in the not too distant future by the band of brothers who underpinned a golden age at United.

I think Garys appointment by England is an incredible one and very welcome as far as I am concerned, Harrison told M.E.N. Sport.

I had been moaning at Gary all last season about going to do his punditry work for Sky. He was absolutely brilliant at it but I thought it was a waste of his talent.

I think he could have stayed at United as a coach and I think if you have that opportunity then you should snap their hands off.

There is no feeling in the world like playing or coaching at United and I hope he gets a similar feeling with England. I am glad hes back in football passing on his experiences in thi! s way.
It is different when you are passing your coaching badges in front of FA people to actually standing up in front of players and taking a session. Thats scary.

Confidence

But he has the confidence to do it. You can see from the way hes put views and tactical explanations over on TV that he has the confidence in front of an audience.

I always thought he had that ability. I made him my youth team captain at 16 when some people, not the manager I might add, were questioning the choice.

He didnt have the skills the others had but he understood the game better. Individually, others were superior but as a team man and understanding the collective nature of the game Gary was excellent. He has outstanding football intelligence. I always thought hed have a good career in the game after he stopped playing.

Ryan Giggs has been taking his coaching badges as he prepares for life after he hangs up his boots.

The 38-year-old has signed another 12-month playing contract at the Reds but has begun the groundwork for his future after playing.

A few months ago I was invited to take a look at Ryan and Gary doing their preparation work for their FA coaching badges, Harrison added.

They were coaching a group of Manchester University players. I was keen to see them go through what I went through many, many years ago and help them if I could.

I mentioned one or two things to them but overall they used their own initiative and they were confident. I looked at them both then and I thought that both had the look of future top-class coaches.

Butt and 1995 FA Youth Cup winner Phil Neville are also destined for big things according to Harrison.

Both Nicky and Phil are absolute certainties to make a success of coaching jobs in my opinion, said Harrison.

Nicky was always a confident lad on the field. He was a man when then others were still boy! s. He ha s told me he wants to be a coach or a manager and I can guarantee he will be good. If he is as good as I think he will be, then I hope he is coaching at Manchester United. Hed be a great asset.

All of them have got the background and grounding from their years at United to make it. Theyve got that in their back pockets.

They are supremely confident, not arrogant, but confident and you have to have that if you are to coach players. It is no use being timid.
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So what about quiet man Paul Scholes? The 37-year-old has already dipped his toe in the water this season with Uniteds youth and reserve sides before deciding he had made a mistake retiring at the end of last term. He returned to the first team in January and shelved his coaching plans.

Scholes has now signed on for another 12 months as a player.

Hell get a job at Manchester United no question, Harrison predicted.

His biggest impact is joining in during training because you can learn so much from him. He also has a great tutor himself in reserve manager Warren Joyce.

Asset

I dont want him to hang up his boots again for a couple of years, but when he does and he rejoins the coaching staff he will be a big, big asset.

Then there is David Beckham.
! So many avenues will open up to the superstar when his playing days with LA Galaxy end, but what about his chances in the coaching game?

I worked with David for eight years at his coaching school and he just lit the room up when he came to talk to the kids, said Harrison. They were so excited.

His personality just grips the place. Even I was gripped and Ive known him since he was a kid himself!

When I was a youngster I looked up to my idol John Charles at Leeds and learnt so much watching him. Kids who idolise David will look up to him and learn in the same way.

I dont think hes ruthless enough to be a manager but if he chose coaching hed be great.

I think theyve all got their individual plusses and would bring different things to coaching, but I honestly think theyve all got the ability to make a success of it.

I am so very, very proud of what theyve achieved as players and if they followed me into coaching, I think it would be wonderful. You dont want to lose that kind of knowledge.

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