This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
The topic of Phil Foden’s development is a relentless sub-plot at Manchester City which isn’t going away anytime soon.
What’s the word?
Pep Guardiola’s team selection comes under scrutiny from hoards of Twitter experts who clearly know better than the most talented football manager of a generation, with Foden’s exclusion regularly depicted as some kind of moral injustice on the 18-year-old.
But there is clearly a more complicated situation to unpick than what the “experts” would lead you to believe.
Foden is, after all, just 18. He’s just about old enough to drive a car and legally purchase a pin, yet there are many who expect him to start regularly for one of the most successful football teams in recent history.
It’s a topic that divides neutral fans, frustrates City fans and ultimately points towards the level of potential the Stockport-born midfielder has.
In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Shaun Goater was asked about the Citizens’ plan to replace David Silva and what his exit could mean for Foden, and he appeared to suggest that there could be more frustration on the horizon for the neutrals.
“I think City will still look to get a quality player but Phil Foden will still get more minutes. My thinking and understanding from when I observe Pep is for players to come in and push the team, not be the same.
“I think that’s what is expected of Phil – to take the team to the next level. Whenever Phil has come on, he’s looked very confident, it looks as though he’s comfortable at this level.
“Everyone is saying he’s good enough so he should be in there. But I have this thought that Pep is asking a different question: can he take us to another level at this moment in time?”
Guardiola’s immense standards
The question of whether Foden can take the club to another level is an intriguing one. Clearly Guardiola is not willing to integrate youth merely to appease supporters. If he is going to include a player in his starting XI, they ought to have justified their place.
While the 18-year-old is clearly immensely talented and capable of holding his own at the top level, he is not going to seamlessly complete a transition into the senior squad if he isn’t going to offer an upgrade on the quality offered by the likes of Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva and Ilkay Gundogan.
The reality is that there are a finite number of places for Guardiola to fill from a pool of immensely gifted central-midfielders, and until the England youth international showcases a level of quality that transcends what the aforementioned quartet can offer, he will continue to fight for scraps of involvement.
The silver lining is that Guardiola’s firm stance should, theoretically, prove to be enormously beneficial to Foden’s long-term development.
