Michael Carrick says Kobbie Mainoo has done a terrific job in the three games under him, while highlighting the importance of having Academy graduates at the heart of the club’s senior sides.
Mainoo was working towards a first start of the Premier League season when Carrick arrived last month and has since been in the XI for our head coach’s three matches in charge, the wins over Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham.
The Academy graduate, who made his first-team debut just over three years ago, has formed a solid partnership with Casemiro at the base of United’s midfield across those triumphs, and could continue to develop that connection if selected for Saturday’s Premier League visit of Tottenham Hotspur.
It is ahead of that fixture that Michael was asked about Kobbie and his talent in the second part of the pre-match press conference, which you can now read and watch in full below.
The answer on our no.37 is in response to the penultimate question of Thursday’s media session at Carrington, before which our head coach had spoken about his future in the job, Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu’s injury and the appointment of coach Steve Holland…
“Nothing has changed, to be honest, it’s not going to change what I do or how I feel about it. I’m fully aware of the role I’m doing here and the responsibility I’ve got. You want to be successful. I want the club to be successful beyond the end of this season, if that’s me, that’s somebody else [in charge]. At this stage, I can’t control that. We’ll see what happens. It’s certainly about trying to improve the team and keep making Manchester United stronger and improving all the time. But nothing’s changed. The results over a short period of time don’t change that, if they have changed that, there’s something wrong. It can’t be so kneejerk whether it’s really good or whether there’s a few issues we need to solve. It’s steady progress really. You know that football can twist and turn just as quick. So, you’ve got to keep level really and keep focusing on what we need to do.”
If this continues, would you be happy for your name to be part of that conversation?
“I’m loving what I’m doing, I’m here. I feel at home here, but I fully understand the situation, so I’m not getting too carried away.”
How big is the man management challenge for you since you’ve been back here? When you were here previously it was a short period, then Middlesbrough in the Championship it’s games every three days, and then here you’ve not had many games and obviously everyone wants to play. There’s not enough games to go around in this squad, you look at people like Ben [Sesko] who have made an impact off the bench, do you feel an obligation to give someone like that a start when they impress off the bench and how difficult has it been to talk to players and keep them happy when there’s not enough games to go around?
“Picking teams is the hardest part, there’s no getting away from that, and deciding who plays and who doesn’t start. The pleasing thing, it’s probably obvious to say in many ways, is the impact we’ve had as a squad throughout the game, boys starting, boys finishing games. It’s been incredible to be honest for that spirit, it’s not easy. Sometimes you’re disappointed when you don’t play. Every game we’ve had a real impact, finishing the game, whoever’s been on the pitch. I think that speaks volumes about the boys’ mentality and attitude that they’ve shown, and that’s something we need to keep. I couldn’t have been happier for Ben the other day. I spoke about it after the game. It was a huge moment for him, he totally deserves it for all those reasons and the work he’s been putting in, the desire he’s got to be the best version he can be. He’s been really impressive since I’ve been here. There’s a lot more to come from Ben, I’m sure, whether that’s this week, next week or the week after. That’s just part of being in this squad and growing together. Certainly, picking the team is the hardest part, but the boys have been fantastic and not given me any issues at all.”
Have you got a timescale yet on Patrick Dorgu?
“Not exactly. We’re working through it. It’ll definitely be a number of weeks, it will be a considerable period of time. He’s not going to be back in the next two or three weeks. To be more exact is a little bit difficult at this moment.”
There’s been some speculation about 10 weeks, could it be that long?
“It could possibly, we’re working through it. Certainly looking forward to getting him back as quick as we can and getting [him] on the pitch long before the end of the season.”
“It’s a blow, it’s always a blow when you lose players and they can’t be involved, and we can’t choose them. Especially when you’ve had an impact like Patrick did over the last few weeks. Just finding that next level. Unfortunately, football throws things up, there’s up and downs. For this short period of time, he’s disappointed, he wants to be fit. But he’s going to have a career for the next 10 or 15 years and hopefully this is just a little moment for him. Coming off the back of the huge positive he’s just had, I think when he comes back, he’ll be even stronger again.”
Can I just ask about Steve Holland and where the idea for that appointment came from? And how important he’s been for what you want to do on the training pitch, and also the run of results you’ve had…
“I think when talks were progressing, when I looked like I might be coming in here, I was spending some time thinking about what the staff might look like. Actually having conversations with my brother [Graeme], as I do all the time, about what it might look like. He ended up mentioning Steve, knew him from The FA and I’d come across Steve a number of times. Fully aware of his experience and quality as a coach, and experience as well. It ticked a lot of boxes and that kind of just went from there. I spoke to Steve and we clicked straight away. As with the rest of the staff to be honest, with Jonny, Jonathan and Trav and Craig. There’s been a good balance and connection between us. It feels like we’ve been together much longer than just these three weeks.”
Both of you have worked as coaches under Jose [Mourinho]. It feels like a very collaborative effort, all of you on the touchline, matchdays, training. In terms of Jose’s influence on you and Steve, is that something you’ve found a common ground on?
“It’s more just the experience in general, at the [top] level… he’s had vast experience in so many different scenarios. Being at Chelsea for so long, growing up around here and being a massive United fan helps to start with. But being at Chelsea, being successful, winning trophies, knowing what it takes. Different styles, different managers, different types of players. He’s had a real good knowledge and back story really, if you like, of experience to pick at. We speak a lot about different things, all of us, all the staff. There’s the connection, I learned a lot from Jose in the five months when I was coaching. When you see how he works, how he thinks, how he sees players and things, and they end up coming off like he predicted in certain times. He had a real good eye for that. So, there’s certainly that connection. I wouldn’t say it’s totally me and Steve with Jose, but there’s definitely those common kinds of factors that help us work together for sure.”
“Knowing Kobbie to start with and what he can bring to the team, it was my thoughts to put him into the team. I thought he would give us an awful lot. I think from the club’s point of view, it’s an ideal scenario to bring players through the Academy and have them in the team and have them go through their career at this club, and stay in and around it. I was fortunate enough to be with a lot of players who managed to do that. I think it’s important. Obviously, with Munich and the foundation of the football club, everything feeds off that. I’m not putting everything on Kobbie’s shoulders, he’s doing terrific at the moment and I’m sure he’ll continue to be that way. We want more of that. We want more players to come through the system and get into the first team. For me, there’s no better feeling than giving young players a chance. He’s taken the chance over recent weeks and, as I said, I’m sure he’ll continue to do that.”
It’s the first time we’re talking to you since the window closed, if people looked at the squad they would think if there’s one area where it’s maybe a little bit thin it’s midfield, if you get an injury there, you’re quite vulnerable. What’s your current thinking as to how you would deal with that situation if it arises, and would you promote an Academy player or… we’ve seen Lisandro [Martinez] play there this season, maybe Mason Mount. How would you deal with that situation?
“All sorts of things can happen so it’s not one fix. We’ve got a really good balance of the squad in general. So, there’s plenty of solutions for us. Manu [Ugarte] has obviously come on [in recent games] and he’s going to be a big part of our squad and our team between now and the end of the season, sharing the load. We’ve got different things we can do, it depends what happens. We’ve got to be able to adapt and be flexible but I’m confident we can find the right solutions if we need to. At the moment, we’re pretty stable and in good shape.”