Manchester United youngster Radek Vitek is backing Andre Onana to continue progressing at the Premier League giants while sharing the advice given to him by the Cameroon international.
The £47 million signing from Inter Milan is certainly not the first goalkeeper to endure a difficult start to life at Old Trafford. Fabian Barthez, a World Cup winner with France, struggled in his debut season at times. Ditto the legendary duo of Peter Schmeichel and David de Gea.
Gary Neville wasn’t lying when he claimed, on Sky Sports, that the goalkeeper position at Manchester United is perhaps the most high-pressure role in the sport.
It is testament to Andre Onana’s mental fortitude, then, that he has bounced back from those error-strewn beginnings. The ever-improving glovesman has been one of Man United’s top performers over the last three months, producing virtuoso displays against the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa.
Andre Onana improving at Manchester United
“Every time you come to a new environment, you have to settle in, get used to new teammates, the style of play… Everything. It always takes a while,” Vitek, the 20-year-old goalkeeper who trained alongside Onana before joining Accrington Stanley on loan in January, tells Sport.
“Plus, you’re at Manchester United, one of the biggest clubs in the world. When things go wrong, the fans come after you. At that moment, you have to stay calm. Andre showed that he is very strong in his head. He learned his lesson. He has been performing excellently lately.
“Let’s hope it gets better and better.”
Vitek has learned a thing or two from some of his more experienced team-mates behind the scenes at Carrington. Particularly from Onana, the former Ajax and Barcelona youngster urging Vitek to develop the more technical side of his game while encouraging the youngster not to let the odd mistake stick in his mind.
‘He encouraged me’
“Everyone tried to help me. I learned from everyone,” Vitek adds. “David (de Gea) was a great person, easy going. He always had fun with me. It was great when Martin Dubravka was on loan at United last year (because) I could talk to someone in my mother tongue.
“(Onana) is excellent with his footwork. He always told me not to be afraid to play, even if I make a mistake sometimes. He encouraged me to be self-confident, not to make a big deal out of anything and to move on.
“Everyone makes mistakes, even the best in the world.”
Vitek has impressed so far at Accrington. The Czech Republic youth star kept three clean sheets in his first four games for the League Two outfit.
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