Interview: Martin Devaney opens up about son Jacob Devaney's Ireland call-up and Manchester United journey

Your son Jacob plays for Manchester United underage. How did that come about, and how's it been?

"Yeah, so I moved to Barnsley in 2005, and my son Jacob was born in Barnsley. He was spotted locally by Manchester United scouts. He went through the different schools of excellence locally. He signed at the age of 6 or 7. He’s been at United since he was very young. He’s worked hard. He’s a committed kid, but United have been fantastic.

"He went through a programme, went to a local grammar school, and was offered the chance to move to Manchester and train extra with United at the age of 14. At the time, I wasn’t convinced because he was my young boy. However, he wanted to be in that environment, and it was something he wanted to do, and United were excellent in how they handled it."

He got injured early; how did he deal with that?

"Subsequently, he got a stress fracture, so he missed 16 months. Leaving school and moving there, we said to him, "Do you want to move back and train here?" but he wanted to stick it out," said Devaney.

"It was a tough time when he first moved over there, but he’s a tough character. He eventually got the scholarship and played every game, and three or four months into that season, they spoke about a professional contract. It took a long time to sort.

"He loves United; they are a great environment for him. He is in a great place.

"I’d say they are very patient with him. I’ve led U18 and U21 teams, and there are a lot of demands put on these kids.

"But they said that they’d look after him; "Don’t worry." You know, as a parent, you do worry about these things. They are supportive and have really good coaches. They always put the human first, which is great. I always found they put the individual before the football. They have a really good system in place, in an environment that allows kids to express themselves while also being patient with them, which is key."

Ten hag already meeting the youth players as he is pictured with Under 15 player Jacob Devaney#MUFC pic.twitter.com/5FI78m0Ddr

— Manchester_United_Youth (@MUFC_Youth) May 23, 2022

What was it like for him training with the first team?

"At the same time, he didn’t say much for someone who supports United. I said to him, "Wow Jacob, what’s it like?’"and he said, "Yeah, Dad, it’s alright; it’s not bad." I said, "Well, what happened then?" He said, "Well, Bruno Fernandes came up to me and introduced me to everyone." You know what they’re like; they’re 16 and 17," said Devaney.

"He takes it all in his stride. It wasn’t until he actually signed that a couple of the coaches, Travis Binnion and Nick Cox, who look after boys transitioning from U18s, U21s, and the first team, said really kind words about how Jacob took it all in his stride and did really well.

"Jacob doesn’t say much; he’s very modest. I was taken aback by it and asked why he didn’t say anything. He just said, "You know, Dad, it is what it is; you just get your head down and train." It was an unreal experience for him. These kids are being primed for the first team. They give them a taste and then bring them back into the underage fold. It’s very important."

What kind of player is he?

"Yeah, Jacob is a defensive midfielder. He plays in the six. He’s got a great range of passing, and in a six, you have to be press-resistant. That’s come into the game a lot these days. He’s got a great ability to connect with the forward play. He’s very calm, and he’s also got a great engine. At the minute, he’s got all the credentials, but it’s early doors."

What’s the best advice you’ve given your son in football?

"You have to keep your feet on the ground. You know now that social media hypes up everyone, but there’s still a learning curve in the game. I say to the boys, until you play 50-100 games, you’re not a professional footballer. He’s a humble kid; he knows that you have to work hard and be on the training ground wanting to improve every day.

"He knows how ruthless the industry is. He’s at the biggest club in the world, and he knows how good these players are. He has to keep on improving every single day. Even at 30 years of age, you can’t stop learning. He knows this. I am quite relaxed because he and Joel, my other son, have been around football for a long time. They know that you have to put the work in."

We are delighted☘️🇮🇪Jacob to represent Ireland. As a family so proud! Grandad will be smiling from above ❤️ pic.twitter.com/wAz7NDMH4G

— Martin Devaney (@Martindevaney1) September 2, 2024

You were recently on the opposition touchline against Jacob when United's underage side played Barnsley in the cup. What was that like?

"It was very strange, but it couldn’t have worked out any better. For him to be making his pro debut against the town where he was born was very special. It’s a place that’s very close to my heart, and for him to make his debut against Barnsley was special for everyone, me included.

"I reflected afterwards and thought about the pressure. He’s got the weight of Manchester United on him, and he’s in front of his friends and family. I think he dealt with it really well, and it will be a special moment that they will remember forever."

How did you separate being a coach and father on the opposite side? Did you find it strange?

"Yeah," Devaney said with a laugh. "Of course, I want him to do well. He had a tough 10 minutes in the second half, but he showed character. He did well."

Can you envision him becoming a Premier League footballer one day?

"Listen, I don’t want to put pressure on him. He knows what I think, and I know what he thinks. He knows the pressure of playing for Manchester United. There are going to be lots of ups and downs on his journey. It’s about him overcoming mental challenges, and he’s done with the injury.

"I don’t want to put pressure on him. He’s in a fantastic place. Being at Manchester United at 17 tells you everything."

Special night for all of the family! so proud of you Jacob.@BarnsleyFC @ManUtd not the result I wanted tho. pic.twitter.com/BAyvn5kdsS

— Martin Devaney (@Martindevaney1) August 20, 2024