Academy Director reveals the key to Kobbie Mainoo’s rise at Old Trafford – Man United News And Transfer News

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The Director of Manchester United’s Academy, Nick Cox, has revealed Kobbie Mainoo’s rise to the first-team at Old Trafford “typifies what we’re all about”.

Cox and Mainoo were both present at Carrington yesterday to take part in an Under-8s session, and then hosted an educational Q&A with these young players.

Cox first joined United in 2016 as the Academy Operations Manager, before being promoted to the Director’s role in 2019. Two years previously, a nine-year-old Mainoo had entered the academy for the first time, joining from Cheadle & Gatley Junior Football Club.

There is significant overlap in the pair’s rise through the ranks at United. As such, it’s evident the pride Cox takes in Mainoo’s progression – as a person, as well as a footballer – when he speaks about the young midfielder. Asked about what Mainoo was like during this process of development, Cox replied:

“All the way through the journey, he’s been exactly as you’ve witnessed this morning. In love with the game, a really cool customer, grounded, respectful, focused and a delightful young man really. And I think that showed through in the way that he’s interacted with the young players today. But that’s been him all the way through. And I would suggest that is probably a big reason for the success he’s having at the moment as well.”

Mainoo has firmly established himself in Erik ten Hag’s squad this season, after having made his debut for the first-team in the Carabao Cup against Charlton Athletic in January last year.

There had been glimmers of the escalated role the midfielder was set to assume in pre-season last summer, when Mainoo was handed the starting berth in midfield against both Arsenal and Real Madrid – a testament to the faith his Dutch manager holds in him.

The cruel hand of fate intervened, however, forcing Mainoo off the pitch after just a few minutes against Los Blancos with an ankle injury. Further tests would reveal the severity of the injury, ruling the youngster out for nearly four months. Towards the end of November, Mainoo eventually returned, thrust straight into the starting eleven in the defensive midfield position for the trip to Everton.

Goodison Park is always a daunting ground to travel to, but this was heightened by the Merseyside club’s fury at being subject to a points deduction for breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability (PSR) rules, five days before United came to town.

Consequently, the Everton team and fanbase were at fever pitch ahead of kick-off. It was the type of pressure cauldron an 18-year-old midfielder making his first Premier League start should wilt in. Except Mainoo is no ordinary 18-year-old.

Mainoo was the best player on the pitch, demonstrating an authority and calmness on the ball which belied his years. He was also excellent defensively, making a goal-saving challenge after correctly anticipating where the ball would land following a save by Andre Onana. It was a textbook midfield performance; the type sorely lacking at United in recent years.

The 18-year-old has been a permanent fixture in Ten Hag’s squad since this point, starting the last twelve games in a row.

Cox spoke of the positivity he’s felt watching the academy graduate deliver the type of performances he has in the last three months.: “Yeah a huge amount of pride because we’re watching Kobbie do brilliantly.” But there are a number of academy graduates in the senior squad at present, and the wider league in general; and the Director reveals that every time one of them performs it sends a ripple of excitement throughout the system which produced them.

“We’ve seen game-changing moments from Scott, we’ve seen moments from Alejandro Garnacho. We’ve seen Marcus playing well, so that kind of excites everybody. On a Monday morning at the Academy, people are arriving talking about what the boys have achieved at the weekend, not just the ones in our team, but we’ve seen boys up and down the leagues this weekend do wonderful stuff. And the staff that have worked with those players from as young as the boys we’ve seen from that age, you can only be excited and delighted by what young people are achieving.”

Ten Hag has previously spoken of how ‘coachable’ Mainoo is, given the youngster is receptive to constructive criticism and willing to invest time in his areas of weakness. Cox reveals this mentality is one the midfielder has always displayed throughout his time in the academy.

“Yeah, he’s always been driven, always had a desire to want to be better, always made sure that he’s taken every opportunity to learn. He’s doing great things, but he will tell you as much as anybody that this is early days, and he knows that he’s got more landmarks to tick off. Yes, he started a lot of games. He had a nice run in the team. He scored some goals, but he knows that he wants to be on the team sheet every week. And he knows in his mind all the things he wants to go and achieve. And that will take hard work, but he won’t be afraid of that hard work.”

There is no truer adage of sport than hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. The fact that a player as talented as Mainoo appears set to continue working as hard as he does, ensures the sky is the limit for United’s latest academy star.