ON a Monday afternoon at the end of September, Ravel Morrison trudged off the pitch at a near-empty Bramall Lane.
On entering the Sheffield United dressing room he was told he was being subbed off as the Under-23s trailed 2-0 to Burnley at half-time.
The second of Morrison’s two starts this season came in a 1-0 loss to SunderlandCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Even the match report on the Blades’ own website shed light on his failure to make a mark on the reserve match.
In reference to the arrival of his replacement Callum Gribbin, it read: “[that] saw United start to move the ball around quicker in midfield.”
Morrison has not been seen again in the red-and-white stripes.
The ex-Manchester United and West Ham wonderkid was one of the surprise signings of the summer when Chris Wilder handed him a one-year deal to sign him from Swedish side Ostersunds.
But any hopes he would finally emerge as a Premier League regular for the newly-promoted Blades have been dashed.
Morrison has played just 12 minutes of league action — in the 2-1 home defeat by Leicester on August 24 — as well as two starts in the Carabao Cup. The second of those was a 1-0 loss against League One Sunderland.
So, as Manchester United — the club where Morrison first emerged as a prodigiously talented, yet troubled academy player — visit on Sunday, he will have to watch on from the stands.
Now 26, he should be in the prime of his career after being tipped for the top by Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ravel Morrison was the star of a youth team featuring Paul Pogba and Jesse LingardCredit: Getty – Contributor
Former Old Trafford star Rio Ferdinand revealed last year: “Sir Alex called me and Wayne Rooney over one day and said, ‘Look, this kid is better than you when you were a kid Wayne, better than you Rio, better than Ryan Giggs. This is the best kid you’ll ever see’.”
Yet it never happened at his home-town club — and Morrison left after three League Cup appearances.
Ferguson finally gave up on him after becoming exasperated at the midfielder’s inability to arrive to training on time. During that period Morrison admitted to witness intimidation and was also convicted of criminal damage.
One of Ferguson’s rare comments on Morrison was: “He’s got a great talent but it’s how to deal with it that is important.”
In 2012, Sam Allardyce took a punt by paying £650,000 to bring him to West Ham and he started promisingly, most notably scoring a wonder goal against Tottenham at the White Hart Lane.
Yet it soon fizzled out and he was sent out on loan to Birmingham, Cardiff and QPR before joining Italians Lazio on a free.
Again he barely played and was soon offloaded to Mexican side Atlas and then on to Sweden.
Despite all this, Morrison refuses to give up on his dream of dazzling at the highest level.
Morrison was a regular in the England youth setupCredit: Corbis – Getty
That is the aim when he does his extra work with coaches after training at the Blades.
Part of Morrison’s problem is that John Lundstram, Ollie Norwood and John Fleck have been so impressive in midfield during a run that has taken Wilder’s promoted side into the European spots.
Ben Osborn, Luke Freeman and Mo Besic are in the same position as Morrison as they jostle for places.
Boss Wilder said: “He’s no different from one player to the other.
“Ravel courts a lot of publicity obviously but then I’ve also got Ben Osborn, who’s been outstanding for us and I had to leave him out of the 18.
“There are no favourites. I see a talent from everybody.
“They’ve all got their attributes, that’s why we sign them and bring them to the club.”
It is no surprise that Championship clubs see Morrison as a target for a January loan deal, even if he is determined to be ready when his chance comes in South Yorkshire.
It has been quite a journey since playing alongside Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard for Manchester United against a Sheffield United team featuring Harry Maguire in the FA Youth Cup final of 2011.
But when he next pulls on a shirt is a mystery.
Former Man Utd prodigy Ravel Morrison sends home a stunning free-kick for Atlas in Liga MX
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
