Ravel Morrison hasn't quite lived up to expectations, but his ability has been obvious throughout his career
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Ravel Morrison hasn't quite had the career trajectory many thought he would - least of all Sir Alex Ferguson - but his technical quality is undeniable according to one of his former team-mates.
As a teenager, Sir Alex Ferguson reportedly "thought Morrison was the best player he'd seen at that age". For one reason or another, though, Morrison has failed to live up to expectations during his career, spending time in the Championship, Italy, Mexico, Sweden, the Netherlands and now at DC United in MLS.
Curtis Davies enjoyed a season playing alongside the former Manchester United prodigy at Derby County in 2021/22, under Wayne Rooney in the Championship. Explaining what makes him so special as a player, Davies also highlights the misunderstood character of Morrison, too.
Davies captained Morrison for a season (Image credit: Getty Images)
"Talent-wise, Ravel is one of the best I’ve ever played with – no doubt," Davies tells FourFourTwo. "He has a little bit of everything. He’s got the maverick in him that can beat four or five opponents, he’s as fit as a fiddle, he can get his head up and pick out a pass, and he can shoot from long range – he’s an unbelievable player.
"We’d all heard that he was often going out with mates and getting into trouble, so weren’t sure what to expect when he turned up, but he was a top kid – just misunderstood.
"He’s not from a nice area, and when he was younger he couldn’t remove himself from that. As he grew older, people were still tarring him with that brush."
Morrison failed to live up to expectations placed on him at Manchester United (Image credit: Getty Images)
Though Derby were relegated that campaign, due to a points deduction and various other off-field issues, Morrison made 36 appearances - the most he's ever made in a season.
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Now 30, Rooney left Morrison out of his DC United squad for the 2023 MLS season, resulting in him being unable to play in the competition while still being allowed to train with his team-mates. His contract expires at the end of December, with the club having the option of another year.
Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.
