Bruno Fernandes has offered an interesting insight into Manchester United youngster Shea Lacey’s development, revealing that he once coached the talented academy player while completing his own coaching qualifications.

The United captain explained that Lacey was already on the club’s books at Under-14 level when Fernandes was working towards his UEFA B coaching diploma. Fernandes completed the qualification through Manchester United alongside former teammates Juan Mata and Nemanja Matic, and the trio were given the opportunity to gain practical coaching experience within the club’s academy.

Lacey, who is now 19, was one of the young players Fernandes worked with during that period. The Portuguese midfielder recalled the experience fondly and joked with Lacey about how much the youngster has developed since their brief coaching session several years ago.

Speaking to the Men in Blazers Media Network, Fernandes praised Lacey’s technical ability, saying that his talent with the ball was obvious even when he was much younger. Fernandes admitted that he often reminds the teenager that he has improved considerably since the days when he was being coached by the United captain.

According to Fernandes, he and Mata effectively coached Lacey for one day while completing their qualifications. The experience gave Fernandes an unusual perspective on the youngster because he has been able to see his progression from a young academy player to someone now competing for opportunities with the senior squad.

Fernandes believes Lacey has matured significantly since those early days. While the youngster’s technical quality was already evident, the midfielder feels that his overall understanding of the game and his mentality have developed considerably.

The 31-year-old also highlighted an important lesson for young players hoping to break into Manchester United’s first team. Fernandes believes academy players need to approach every training session with the same seriousness and intensity that they would bring to an actual competitive match.

For young footballers attempting to establish themselves at one of the world’s biggest clubs, Fernandes feels that mentality can make a major difference. Talent alone is not enough, particularly at a club where competition for places is intense and expectations are extremely high.

Lacey has already begun experiencing senior football. The youngster made his Manchester United first-team debut against Aston Villa in December, providing him with his first taste of Premier League-level football.

More recently, he was introduced as a second-half substitute during United’s surprising 2-0 defeat to Hull. Although the result was disappointing for the club, the opportunity represented another important step in Lacey’s development.

The teenager has attracted considerable attention and has been widely regarded as one of the promising young players capable of making an impact at Old Trafford. Fernandes is among those who believe Lacey has the potential to succeed, particularly after noticing significant improvements in his game this season.

The United captain explained that Lacey appears to have returned from the summer break with a noticeably different mentality. In particular, Fernandes pointed to the youngster’s movement away from the ball as one of the biggest areas of improvement.

For a player operating in a similar position to Fernandes, movement without possession is particularly important. The Portuguese star explained that the role requires players to cover large areas of the pitch, understand when to move into space and recognize how their positioning can help teammates.

Fernandes also emphasized the importance of emotional intelligence. A creative midfielder cannot simply focus on what happens when he has the ball. He must also understand where teammates need support, when to create space for others and how to contribute defensively when possession is lost.

According to Fernandes, Lacey has shown encouraging progress in these areas. After returning from his vacation, Fernandes followed the academy side closely and watched several of their matches. What he saw convinced him that the young midfielder had taken another step forward.

The praise comes from a player who has enjoyed an exceptional period himself. Fernandes was recently named PFA Player of the Year following an outstanding campaign with Manchester United. His performances included setting a new Premier League record for assists, further underlining his importance to the team.

Fernandes has now spent around six and a half years living and playing in England after joining Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020. During that time, he has become one of the club’s most influential players and has adapted to life in England, although he admits that some local traditions have yet to win him over.

When asked whether he had developed many typically Mancunian habits, Fernandes jokingly suggested that there was not much evidence of it. However, he did admit that one British habit had become part of his lifestyle: visiting coffee shops.

He explained that he had always enjoyed coffee in Portugal, but normally associated it with breakfast. Since moving to England, however, he has become comfortable visiting coffee shops at almost any time of the day.

There is one famous British beverage that Fernandes remains unwilling to embrace, though: traditional English tea.

The Manchester United captain admitted that he still cannot bring himself to drink black tea with milk. He joked that mixing water and milk with tea was simply not something he had become accustomed to.

Fernandes contrasted his preference with teammate Tom Heaton, who apparently enjoys tea throughout the day. While Fernandes is happy to join Heaton for a drink, he made it clear that he would choose coffee instead.

A cappuccino or latte would be far more appealing to the Portuguese midfielder than a traditional English cup of tea. Despite spending more than six years in the country, it appears that some aspects of British culture will take considerably longer for Fernandes to accept.

On the footballing side, Manchester United now face the challenge of recovering from their disappointing defeat at Hull. Their next fixture will see them take on newly promoted Ipswich at Old Trafford on Sunday, giving Fernandes and his teammates an immediate opportunity to respond.

Fernandes was particularly frustrated by the performance against Hull and openly criticized his teammates after the 2-0 defeat. The United captain accused the team of repeating the same mistakes that had caused problems during the previous season.

His outspoken comments sparked a reaction from former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes, who argued that Fernandes should be more careful about publicly criticizing his teammates.

Despite the controversy, Fernandes’ leadership and influence remain central to United’s plans. His comments about Lacey also demonstrate that his contribution to the club extends beyond his performances on matchdays.

Having once coached Lacey as a young academy player, Fernandes has now watched the youngster progress towards becoming a senior Manchester United footballer. The captain’s advice about treating every training session like a competitive match could prove valuable as Lacey attempts to establish himself at Old Trafford.

For Lacey, the journey from being a 14-year-old academy player coached by Fernandes and Mata to making his senior debut represents remarkable progress. With his technical ability, improving mentality and growing understanding of the game, the young midfielder will hope that his recent appearances are only the beginning of a successful Manchester United career.