Retiring Manchester United academy chief Jim Ryan feels soccer is growing to "massive" levels in the USA.

Ryan played in the NASL in the 70s and was with the United squad for last season's Dallas Cup.

"Many more people are now interested in the game. We stopped in Chicago on the way there and had a three-hour wait at the airport. During those three hours, we had to pose with little kids for the parents to take photos simply because they watch Manchester United and know all about United," Ryan told manutd.com.

"The Americans didn't have a history of watching it, they didn't like to watch it, but now there's a massive audience for it. The problem they struggle with is a lack of history. They don't quite have that yet as they don't have any really top players that the youngsters can say he's the one and can model themselves on him."