Kobbie Mainoo ‘lucky’ to get England call as Keane puts him ‘on par’ with pair of Man Utd legends
Roy Keane believes Kobbie Mainoo is “lucky” to have been called up by England as the Manchester United legend compared him to a pair of his former teammates.
Mainoo received a late call-up by Gareth Southgate on the back of his display in United’s dramatic FA Cup win over Liverpool, having been snubbed from the initial squad for the upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.
Good timing for Mainoo
The 18-year-old has quickly become an important cog in Erik ten Hag’s United side this term, and Keane reckons he’s timed his ascent well.
He told the Stick to Football podcast: “The timing could be right, he’s lucky [Mainoo] in terms of the timing. Because obviously Kalvin Phillips is having a difficult time, Jordan Henderson is getting a bit older.
“So maybe that timing, and the best thing is when you get a player into your camp as you know in international football, ok he’s done well at Manchester United, but to look at him closely, with the other international players, we’ve all done it. Like when Wayne Rooney came through, and when you get to see him up close you go, ‘I like what I see.’ And it could happen!”
More Butt than Scholes
Mainoo has been compared to United legend Paul Scholes, but Keane reckons he’s more similar to Nicky Butt, though claims the teenager is “on par” with the pair of them after his impressive start at Old Trafford.
“I’d say that Kobbie Mainoo compares more to Nicky Butt than Paul Scholes, but that’s because Scholes played further forward when he first joined Manchester United.
“What makes these young players successful is their personalities and their temperament, so I would put Mainoo on par with Butt and Scholes in their first three months at the club.
“It’s all about how players settle into the first team and how they cope with the challenges, playing at Old Trafford, but from what I’ve seen, Mainoo looks great, but he’s got lots to learn in that position.”
Fellow pundit Ian Wright reckons Mainoo is “exactly what Gareth needs” in his England team.
Wright said: “Pleased that he got the call up [Kobbie Mainoo] because I think coming into this Manchester United side, it feels very chaotic when you look at the midfield, it’s kind of all over the place. But when you look at him, if you can get him stabilised, whether he’s going to do eight or six, and he’s got them players around him, and I’m not saying better players. I see him as a number eight. Exactly what Gareth needs.
“You look at him in respects to what he can do. You look at Declan Rice, what he can do, and you look at Jude Bellingham, just them three, let’s say. Just to say what each of them can do, Bellingham’s the number ten, if you’re saying Rice is number eight or Kobbie at number six, you could even change it where Kobbie is six. If Declan drops in the six, you could have Kobbie in the eight.”
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