Rhain Davis Manchester United
THE big question about Rhain Davis now the dust is starting to settle is whether he can make the grade at Manchester United.
The other question is whether Manchester United and his parents should have created the Rhain Davis Circus in the first place.
Both have wider implications.
Should kids like Rhain Davis be put on the front page of the Sun for 10 million to gawp at?
We are famous in this country for building people up to knock them down. Do we want Rhain Davis to become Paul Gascoigne? George Best? On the skills front, yes. But do we want to Rhain put through the torture these two went through?
It’s a difficult one. Even making the comparisons puts Rhain under ridiculous pressure. And he’s not even ten until October.
Let’s dismiss the mindless criticisms first.
1) Of Manchester United – the accusation that they shouldn’t be signing a kid like Rhain Davis aged just nine.
Misinformed nonsense: Manchester United have a wonderful Academy set up that created the wonder generation of Giggs, Scholes, Beckham, Butt, the Nevilles and less lauded professionals like Robbie Savage and Keith Gillespie.
The truth is that to create these players from raw material like Rhain Davis they have to start early, but this is a positive environment where kids continue their schooling and personal development, too.
Manchester United haven’t signed Rhain Davis. He is one of 30-40 nine-year-olds this year who has been invited to the Academy to see if he can make the grade over the next three years. Another 30-40 will be invited next year. Manchester United have been careful not to even comment on the Rhain Davis issue because they don’t talk about Academy Players.
2) And then there’s the criticism of Rhain Davis’ parents Mark and Leah that they are basing all their dreams on him, relocating him half way around the world to fulfil their dreams.
Are we suggesting that this isn’t in Rhain’s best interests? This boy lives, sleeps, eats and breathes football. Rhain Davis isn’t just about the Ronaldo stepover that features so prominently in his YouTube video. When Rhain is tackled he stays on his feet. When Rhain is knocked over he gets back up again. When a team mate goes down Rhain doesn’t stop playing, he follows up and puts the ball away. Rhain Davis epitomises many of the things about football we’ve forgotten. Don’t ever think he doesn’t want this, and judging from what’s been said about his personality, he’s sensible and focused too.
The truth is that it is a condition of acceptance into the Manchester United Academy that players live within an hour of the Academy. It’s a Football Association rule. The family have no choice but to relocate Rhain and brothers Emerson and Reeve. And it’s a far better option than sending the kid around the world on his own.
Mark Davis is a football mad dad who seems to know his stuff. He coached Rhain’s team at Redlands United in Brisbane this year and he’s the reason Rhain Davis is where he is. He and mum Leah know what’s best for their son.
And then the final misunderstanding to dismiss is the idea that Rhain Davis is Australian. He was born in England, he lived in England until he was four, his grandparents are English and his passport says British.
So hands off, you whinging Aussies – this one’s ours!
