"Not only to watch a team lift a trophy, but to be a Man City parade when it's an FA Youth Cup final. I've never heard individual coaches be shouted out, every individual player be shouted out. That doesn't happen in Cup finals. So I'm disappointed in the FA for everything that's gone around this game, for the location, for everything. And then our players having to deal with that. But as you say, it's disappointing. You have to stand there. You have to respect the opposition. But not when Man City take over an FA Youth Cup. It's an FA competition. It should never have been like that."
"United were already deeply unhappy that the game, which City won 2-1 last night, was played at the Joie Stadium, home of City's women's team and academy sides, with City saying the Etihad Stadium was unavailable due to construction work. And after seeing his side lose to a late Reigan Heskey strike, Fletcher was seen complaining during the trophy presentation as City revelled in their fifth FA Youth Cup success."
"City's backroom staff were invited to step up to the podium before the players were individually introduced to the crowd as they went to collect their medals. Fletcher felt it went too far. Responding to a question over the lessons his players will take from watching rivals celebrate, he said: Not only to watch a team lift a trophy, but to be a Man City parade when it's an FA Youth Cup final."
"The Press Association understands Fletcher made his views known forcefully, shouting at FA officials during the presentation. Asked if the FA needed to take more ownership of this 74-year-old competition he said: It's an FA competition and it felt like it was a Man City competition for this whole build-up to the game in terms of how we had to deal with that at the end there."
Manchester United under-18s manager Darren Fletcher lodged a complaint about the staging of the FA Youth Cup final. Manchester City won 2-1, with the match played at Joie Stadium, which is associated with City’s women’s team and academy sides. City said Etihad Stadium was unavailable due to construction work. After United’s late goal conceded, Fletcher objected to the trophy presentation, where City backroom staff were invited to the podium before players were introduced individually to the crowd. Fletcher said the celebration went too far, describing it as a Man City parade rather than an FA Youth Cup event. He also said the FA should take more ownership and that the build-up and presentation made it feel like a City competition.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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