I would be genuinely surprised if he didn't wait for England.
Born and raised here and a much better footballing nation.
Born and raised here and a much better footballing nation.
37
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 30
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 3
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Why three or four years? That's how it should be immediately.
What an incredible player! He's a great dribbler and passer of the ball. And he's a awesome press resistant player! Wow this is too surreal!
It is nice, yeah
but I've been a fan of Mainoo's for many years now so being exposed to his game is nothing new. It's just nice to see him doing it in the first team.I, understandably, get the Mick taken out of me with the whole press resistant thing, but, and I've said this before, when you see one finally playing for us and you see the reaction of the fan base as a whole, I'm like "see!". This is also a kid playing his first senior level games ever. Now imagine the impact - and reaction of the fan base - to us integrating multiple press resistant players into the team who are closer to their prime. We'd naturally play more entertaining football because players like these can excel even when the tactics are lacking.
It's like the latter years of Wenger's time at Arsenal. Tactically, they were lacking, but they still played entertaining stuff because of the type of players Wenger liked to stockpile. Obviously, for us, the dream is to have these players alongside a manager with the right tactics, but just having some entertainment now after a decade plus of mainly boredom is more than welcome.
I will not be surprised if he chooses to represent Ghana. Both his parents come from there and they will surely be proud if he plays for their home country.
He's born and raised here, so they've been at home in the UK for a hell of a long time. Imagine they'd be pretty chuffed watching their lad playing midfield for England.
I also think that Mainoo will choose England when he has lived there forever. But I will not be surprised if he chooses Ghana. They will probably be able to use him earlier and are obviously trying to lure him.
Mainoo will surely feel attached to both countries.
FC Copenhagen, for example, has a similar situation with a young talent who was born and raised in Denmark, yet openly says that he is considering playing for the Algerian national team.
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I'd be staggered if Mainoo opted to play for Ghana, he's born and raised in Stockport and has spent his entire career at an English club.
Agree. These kind of decisions are heavy influenced by parents.
That said, a lot will depend on how soon Southgate calls him up. England is a big team on international stage and if called up saying no is a hard decision, professionally
It will be much easier for Mainoo to play for Ghana, if Southgate continues to be "my boys" biased prat and doesn't call Mainoo up in the near future
Yeah. Pretty much the same situation as Welbz, who also opted for England.
I’m born and raised in London but definitely identify as Nigerian and would represent them if given the choice.
We’ve seen similar decisions with players like Mejbri, Pereira, Garnacho and even Januzaj had this conflict. People can be born anywhere, but this doesn’t dictate where they identify as from. Especially when they are raised as a minority in that country.
That’s true but again, I’d be very surprised.
It’s a plain vanilla decision to play him alongside Rice and Bellingham at the Euros, he slots right into the starting XI, and fully on merit.
Not sure I’d count on Southgate doing that, I’m almost certain he’ll be taking Philips and fecking Henderson again instead of taking a risk.
What risk are you talking about? Mainoo plays in the starting XI for Manchester United on a regular basis.
Since Mainoo has become a regular starter, has anyone else been as consistently as impressive as him?
Watching him on Thursday I was thinking he’s not really done anything spectacular but he has been incredible and all he was doing were the simple things. Receiving the ball, giving the ball, breaking up play moving it on. All the basics you want from a midfielder and he did it all very well. In my mind I was thinking Carrick.
Then he goes and scores that goal and I don’t know how many times I’ve watched it now but it just gets better and better.
Then he goes and scores that goal and I don’t know how many times I’ve watched it now but it just gets better and better.
But he played for all the Under 21, under 18 and so on for England. It would be consistent with the England national teams recent, successful model of the players, and the coach, moving up the Unders together. Regarding Southgate specifically, I do not think he'll be there after the Euros, so there will be a refresh, or a facelift, for the national team
He is good enough to make the world cup squad even at his tender age, this is an England side that despite great startes, lets not forget has had Gallagher, Henderson, Calvin Phillips and Ward Prowse make lots of appearances over the last couple of years. They are all decent players, but none of them are anything special. Beyond our starters for ENgland which for me should 100% be Rice and Bellingham with Foden as the number 10, we are pretty average, Mainoo is definately a viable alternative to come on from the bench there.
Heard Ferdinand say it the other day and a few on here comment, never even thought of it but can see the comparisons to Seedorf.
Seedorf was already near world class at a similar age to Mainoo in the great Ajax side and obviously a fabulour player. I dont think Mainoo has the same level of technique but the way he glides with the ball and his football brain, the comparisons arent total folly.
Shaw, Martinez and Mainoo are all proper players we should be building the side around....the rest, including some big names, none of them for various reasons would I be even dssapointed if they lelft personally
Seedorf was already near world class at a similar age to Mainoo in the great Ajax side and obviously a fabulour player. I dont think Mainoo has the same level of technique but the way he glides with the ball and his football brain, the comparisons arent total folly.
Shaw, Martinez and Mainoo are all proper players we should be building the side around....the rest, including some big names, none of them for various reasons would I be even dssapointed if they lelft personally
I'm guessing you've missed out Garnacho by accident there
Guess the trick is to make sure to hype up the greatest talents as press ressistant!It is nice, yeah
I, understandably, get the Mick taken out of me with the whole press resistant thing, but, and I've said this before, when you see one finally playing for us and you see the reaction of the fan base as a whole, I'm like "see!". This is also a kid playing his first senior level games ever. Now imagine the impact - and reaction of the fan base - to us integrating multiple press resistant players into the team who are closer to their prime. We'd naturally play more entertaining football because players like these can excel even when the tactics are lacking.
It's like the latter years of Wenger's time at Arsenal. Tactically, they were lacking, but they still played entertaining stuff because of the type of players Wenger liked to stockpile. Obviously, for us, the dream is to have these players alongside a manager with the right tactics, but just having some entertainment now after a decade plus of mainly boredom is more than welcome.
For him to be press resistant we need to start banning journalists.
I remember watching against Arsenal in pre season dominate the game and Rice and thought ; “what do we have here?”
This boy is a serious talent who won’t finish growing probably until his 19th birthday, which is in 3 months on the 19th April, for the record he shares the same birthday as me which I only just found out and this explains so much!
If you believe in Astrology then he’s born as an Aries/Tarus cusp star sign.
Natural born leader who shares very humble traits but has a touch of arrogance in their make up. I definitely see these characteristics in our young prodigy.
Club needs to take care of him. He is diamond and one of best young players I've seen when it comes to reading game since Fabregas. He is constantly one step ahead of his opponents and that gives him valuable time to control the game. His positioning, his awareness and composure is already at high level. This just doesn't feel like other talents that are good one year just to end up loaned out and forgotten two years after.
The most important is to give him time to grow and at the same time keeping his feet on the ground. He is still a kid.
The most important is to give him time to grow and at the same time keeping his feet on the ground. He is still a kid.
Yeah I agree. Shaw has easily always had the best first touch in the squad under any circumstances. Last year Antony was the only attacker that you could confidently pass the ball to under pressure and he wouldn't lose it.
Hey, if they're not press resistant, they're not great talents!Guess the trick is to make sure to hype up the greatest talents as press ressistant!
Why does he stop growing at his 19th birthday?
that's some midfield
..until he starts running
True but I’ve notice a lot of players avoid nations that have more competition for there place in the team
Players only do that at a much later stage of their career when it looks increasingly unlikely that they will ever have a place in their preferred/stronger team, see Zaha or Cash. Not when they are young and potentially on their way to have a role in the national team.
If he sticks with England then we’d have a midfield for years with him, Bellingham and Foden. Just need the right manager to unlock the potential.
I said before Arsenal signed Rice that he would be replaced in the England team by a more technical/better player as soon as one came along, and got the usual “who!?” as a response. That player is probably Mainoo. I’m sure Rice will continue to play a part in some way but he isn’t as good as people like to make him out to be. He’s the Maguire of midfielders.
The future looks really bright for the England midfield though. Fix the defence and they could finally be on to something.
Mainoo will potentially play with Rice as their skills might compliment each other.
Rice at CB?
Man Utd 3:0 West Ham
Had a few good passes today, but was otherwise pretty much invisible. 36 touches total as a midfielder.
I dont think he was invisible at all. He might not have made a lot of touches or passes but i did see him receive the ball and get it out of trouble with ease a few times. Those moments were important and noticeable.
Fair enough game. Nothing special nothing bad.
Thought he looked a bit flat footed today which is quite uncomfortable. Not that he did anything wrong. Just didn't seem to have much zip.