Former Manchester United ace Quinton Fortune has become the latest ex-pro to talk up the legend of former Red Devils wonderkid Ravel Morrison.
Man Utd fans will all be well aware by now that Morrison was extremely highly rated when he was coming up through the club’s academy, but he just never quite had the right mentality to enjoy the career he should have had.
Fortune has weighed in on Morrison, describing the incredible potential he saw in him when he watched him play at youth level, saying he had a mix of the qualities of global superstars like Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Neymar.
Speaking to The Athletic, Fortune said: “Ravel was amazing. Probably the best player of that generation — by far.
“It was effortless. It was a once-in-a-lifetime talent. It was like watching Xavi, Iniesta, Neymar, all those guys put together. We were mesmerised by him.”
Earlier this season, CaughtOffside also had the pleasure of speaking to one of Morrison’s old coaches at Fletcher Moss Rangers, where the likes of Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard also started out.
“I can honestly say, in my opinion, that Ravel Morrison is the most talented football player we’ve had at our club,” Fletcher Moss chief David Horrocks told CaughtOffside. “I always said when Ravel’s on the pitch you need two footballs. He wanted the ball all the time, he’d think nothing of taking it off his team-mates.”
He added: “I really think he was a phenomenal player.
“He would have arguments with coaches, it was almost like a Paul Gascoigne scenario, or George Best was another one – you need someone to be an individual, a maverick, why would you tell these players what to do? We need these players in the game. Those that you love to hate, or hate to love.
“Ravel wouldn’t turn up to training, but he didn’t feel he was being challenged. Because the coaches felt he should toe the line with other players, he just didn’t feel challenged.
“When he went to the England Under-16 training camp, another player asked him ‘why don’t you ever pass the ball?’ and he told them ‘because you’re f*****g s**t’ and started a fight, and he got into trouble with the coach.”