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8th August 2011
05:12pm BST
There aren’t many young footballers who leave Man United of their own accord, but that’s what a promising young goalkeeper from Donegal has just done.
18-year old Glenea native Joe Coll has decided to leave Old Trafford after two years with the Red Devils for fear that he wouldn’t get enough first team opportunities with the Premier League runners-up.
Rather than sit around and running the risk of going stale in Manchester, Coll has instead decided to quit the Red Devils with a full year left to run on his contract.
United beat off competition from a host of clubs to sign Coll two years ago, but with first choice ‘keeper David de Gea still only 21 and Danish ‘keeper Anders Lindegaard also in the mix, opportunities may have been few and far between for the teenager and it’s a pretty gutsy decision to give up on one of the world’s biggest clubs in an effort to establish yourself elsewhere.
"I asked to be released because I simply did not feel I was getting enough football. Manchester United are a big club and they have a lot of goalkeepers fighting for places," Coll is quoted as saying in the Irish Independent.
"I asked if I was going to get more football and they said they couldn't guarantee me anything. I just decided there and then that I needed to move on if I am to develop my career.
"I have learned so much in the past two years and I couldn't say a bad word about the people at the club. I just thought I owed it to myself to try and fulfil the potential I think I have."
Coll has no offers on the table as yet, but his experience with United and the original clamour for his signature before he joined the Red Devils should mean there will be plenty of interest.
"I have nothing concrete but I'm sure I will be speaking to a number of people," he added.
With Shay Given bound to hang up his boots sooner rather than later, there’s bound to be another Donegal netminder waiting to fill the void and Coll just might be the man.
Besides, with United basically admitting that all is not well on the financial side of things last night, maybe Coll is getting out before the sh*t really hits the fan. We wish him all the best.
