Ruben Amorim robustly defended his decision to continually omit Kobbie Mainoo during a spiky press conference ahead of Manchester United’s game against Wolves on Monday Night Football.
Mainoo, 20, is yet to start a Premier League game this season and remained an unused substitute throughout the 1-1 draw with West Ham on Thursday evening. Amorim was asked repeatedly about the player during the press conference at Old Trafford.
Asked if he could see there was a risk of Mainoo becoming demoralised after another game in which he was left on the bench, Amorim said: “I see it. I just want to win, I try to put the players, I don’t look who it is, I don’t care about that, I’m just trying to put the best players on the pitch.”
He added: “You have [Manuel] Ugarte that played two games. One of them, Case[miro], was out, Bruno [Fernandes], he’s always fit, he’s the guy that is doing his position, so maybe it has to do with that.”
Asked if players departing for AFCON could present a chance for the England midfielder, Amorim replied: “I don’t know, I don’t know. It’s the same question, I don’t know what is going to happen, it depends, I’ve seen the training, if it’s the best thing for the team, I will put [him in], that is the only way I know how to respond to that.”
Pressed further on whether he understood the questions about Mainoo, Amorim said: “Of course, I understand, and my job is to answer, but I’m trying to answer always the same thing, and you ask me always the same thing.
“I understand what you are saying. You love Kobbie, he starts for England. But that doesn’t mean that I need to put Kobbie [in] when I feel that I shouldn’t put Kobbie [in], so it’s my decision.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Nicky Butt admitted he is worried for Kobbie Mainoo’s future under Ruben Amorim
Amorim pushed back on academy support
Amorim also hit back when his support for Manchester United’s academy was questioned – it being put to him that not playing Mainoo reflected a lack of trust in any of the club’s young players.
In response to the claim that he did not play any academy players, Amorim said: “Any players? We have Kobbie Mainoo…”
When the name of 18-year-old winger Shea Lacey came up, he said: “But Lacey… in difficult situations? Sometimes when Bryan [Mbeumo] is not there, I put Amad, because I have other wing-backs to play, and sometimes it’s hard.
“So, you are asking me, why I don’t put Lacey to play, when I have other guys that are international, and also they are on the bench, so I try to put the best guys, the prepared guys, for this moment of the club, in trying to win the game. That’s the only thing.”
United boast a proud record of having named at least one academy graduate in every matchday squad since 1937.
Monday 8th December 6:30pm
Kick off 8:00pm
Analysis: Amorim’s frustration evident
Questions about Mainoo have been a running theme during Amorim’s time at Manchester United and understandably so given that the talented young midfielder had been seen as someone to build the team around when the Portuguese first came in.
Mainoo, remember, scored what proved to be the winner in United’s FA Cup final win over Manchester City in May of last year. The team’s other scorer that day, Alejandro Garnacho, has already left in acrimonious circumstances. There are fears Mainoo is next.
While Garnacho was a winger who did not quite fit what Amorim wanted, Mainoo finds his path blocked by captain Bruno Fernandes given that United operate with only two midfielders and the coach does not trust him enough defensively to deputise for Casemiro.
Given Fernandes’ robustness, coupled with Amorim’s refusal to tweak his structure in any circumstances, that leaves Mainoo struggling for minutes let alone starts. And there is no sign of a solution. Amorim has always stressed he will do this his way.
It is a problem for Mainoo, of course. But it is awkward for Amorim too. His focus, he argues, is on winning games rather than any bigger purpose – such as the club’s proud academy tradition. If he is not winning those games, it puts him firmly under the spotlight.