"Coming up through the youth ranks at club like Manchester City can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, players have the best facilities in the country, a hugely experienced coaching staff, plus the benefit of being able to lean on a first-team packed with world-class talents. But with that last point lies the rub - as the supermely talented James McAtee found out when he looked to graduate from a superb City youth player into a first-team mainstay."
"I met a coach called Mark Burton, who was a big character for me when I was young I still keep in contact with him now, McAtee tells FourFourTwo. He was the first manager that put confidence into me. I learned to play with freedom, and things kicked on from there. McAtee sometimes teamed up with Cole Palmer, who's five months older. When he was really young he was tiny, the smallest in the group, but Cole was technically very good, the midfielder adds."
James McAtee progressed through Manchester City's academy and benefited from elite facilities, experienced coaches and first-team role models. A crowded senior squad limited clear pathways into regular first-team football despite strong youth performances. Mark Burton provided early confidence and encouraged McAtee to play with freedom, aiding his development. McAtee frequently partnered with Cole Palmer in youth teams; Palmer was often a year ahead and later achieved first-team success elsewhere. McAtee and Palmer both scored in the 2020 FA Youth Cup final, with teammates Morgan Rogers and Liam Delap contributing to a group that later generated substantial transfer fees.
Read at www.fourfourtwo.com
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