The Kobbie Mainoo Situation at Manchester United

If you are a Manchester United fan, you surely have seen by now the rumors about Kobbie Mainoo and his openness to leave the Red Devils for more playing time.

This article is not about Mainoo quality or whether he should be a starter for Manchester United or no. Also, this article is not in defense of the English midfielder or Ruben Amorim because I will never be the kind of fans who accepts the idea of pitting the player against a manager.

This is mainly my opinion on the situation and why I think it is being much blown that it actually is.

Every Manchester United fan for years has been whining about player power. From the Pogba/Martial fight with Jose Mourinho, to Sancho/Ronaldo fights with Ten Hag. Player Power has taken control of the club for a long time. For years, fans have taken player sides and sided with them against a manager.

Everyone wants to get back the Sir Alex Ferguson days. But people tend to forget that Sir Alex Ferguson kicked Roy Keane and David Beckham out of the club when they did not want to be here. He allowed a literal Ballon D’or winner in Cristiano Ronaldo to leave because he did not want to be there anymore.

No player should ever be bigger than Manchester United . This goes for every one of the 25 players in the squad. If you want to leave, the door should be wide open for you. Playing for Manchester United is an honor and privilege, if you don’t want it, you know where the door is.

Since Ruben Amorim started his tenure at Manchester United , Mainoo has started 19 out of the 25 Premier League games he was available for. This does not look for me like a player who the manager does not fancy.

After Mainoo returned from injury, Amorim has already settled on a team that was winning and doing well in the Europa League. Why change a team that was working?

Additionally, a lot of Ruben Amorim tactics have been questionable at best. Everyone has their right to criticize them but all can agree that the Portuguese manager has been honest and candid in all his interviews and press conferences. He said more than 3 times that he has big plans for Mainoo and that he sees him as a Manchester United player for a long time. Everyone has seen what Amorim does with players he does not like.

When Amorim days that Mainoo needs to improve, it goes for every player in the squad. What is wrong in a manager saying a player needs to improve? What is wrong in a manager says that we have competition in all places and a player should earn his spot on the pitch? Isn’t that what should every player be doing? Isn’t that what all of the fanbase have been whining for; players earning their places on the pitch for their performances not for their names.

People tend to forget, but Mainoo is a 20 year old. While he is a very talented young footballer, he still bas a lot to improve like all players his age. How many players have the Red Devils burnt in the last year by putting massive expectations on their backs, expecting them to be saviors only for these players to flame out when they are 24, 25? Marcus Rashford is a prime example.

The Red Devils interest in Carlos Baleba has been well known. Why does Manchester United want a 21 year old midfielder, to partner who? It is clear that United plan is to partner Mainoo and Baleba for the long term.

People can sit there and say, no Baleba is coming to partner Bruno but let’s be realistic, how many years does Bruno have at Manchester United? 1, 2 maximum? If you believe the rumors, the Portuguese midfielder is most probably leaving after the World Cup.

Why would Manchester United be interest in the perfect partner for Mainoo in the midfield if they don’t plan a futur he is not a part of?

Manchester United also let Collyer leave on loan and they want to sign a midfielder, why would everyone thinks they are willing to let one of the most talented players leave in midfield while they are already short there? Does anybody really believe that Manchester United realistically wants to let Mainoo leave? If the answer is yes, then every thing they are doing is pointing to the contrary.

Mainoo is 20, he still has ample time. How many times have we begged the club to protect the young players? Don’t put too much expectations are on their back? Don’t burn them out early? Don’t let them flame before their peak? Now that Manchester United is doing that, everyone is losing their heads.

You can criticize Amorim any way you want. You can question his tactical nous. You can question his selection. You can hate his tactical plan. You can think his idea will never work in the Premier League. All of that is fine, everyone is allowed to have their opinion, but one thing you shouldn’t do is make this a player against a manager.

Opening this rabbit hole will give way back to the player power we have been combatting. What happens if we sack Amorim for Mainoo and then comes another manager that does not like Amad? Do we sack him for Amad?

You can criticize Amorim for not selecting Mainoo without making it that the manager should leave for a player.

Everyone says that Mainoo is the soul of this club, he is what this club represents but this club always represented Manchester United above all. There was never a place for a player power here, there was never a place for a player being above the manager, there was never a place for a player forcing managers out like what happened with Jose.

I am sure Mainoo will stay and in a week time this will all be behind us. But if any player wants to leave, the door should be wide open, after all playing for Manchester United is a honor and privilege.