Life in a local family guarantees peace in which to train
Manchester United lays down strict rules for its young prospects
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For young footballers, the everyday round at Manchester United is built on normal family life. Jami Puustinen is grateful for the fact that the players are accommodated in local families when they come to the club’s Youth Academy.
Puustinen has lived with the Roberts family for around eighteen months. United selects the families, and the club also dictates the rules of the game.
According to the Man Utd regulations, the youths should be tucked up in their rooms at home by 9 pm. All electronic equipment is also to be switched off at nine. So there is no using the PC, PlayStation, or the radio after that time.
For players under the age of 18, all the accommodation, bed and board included, is free of charge. Puustinen turned 18 at the beginning of January, at which point he had to start to pay for his keep. He now pays the Roberts family £100 (around EUR 150) a week.
"It’s quite a bit, but for the money you do get everything - food, getting your clothes washed, and electricity, etc. I wouldn’t mind cooking for myself, but doing the washing is another thing altogether."
There are around 20 youngsters at the United Academy, varying in age from 16 to 19. They can represent the club in the Under-18s Academies League. In addition, the club has two reserve sides, playing in the FA Barclay Premier Reserve League and the Pontins Holiday League.
Next season United plans to merge the reserve squads, which will make for greater competition for a place in the side.
In addition to Jami Puustinen, a number of other Finnish players are seeking a career in football via various club academies. Among them are Tim Sparv at Southampton, Toni Kolehmainen at Blackburn Rovers, and Jani Tanska at Charlton Athletic. Mika Ääritalo is soon to be heading home from Aston Villa. Goalkeeper Jon Masalin (Aston Villa) and striker Tomi Petrescu (Leicester City) have already returned.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 29.1.2005
More on this subject:
 Young man seeks position at Old Trafford
WHO? Jami Puustinen
Pros and cons of the Academy route
Helsingin Sanomat
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