I HAVEN’T quite worked out whether he’s ‘Kobbie Charlton’ or more of a ‘Kobbie Stiles’ — and perhaps he’s a pleasing blend of the two.
But Manchester United’s 18-year-old midfielder Kobbie Mainoo should start for England against Brazil at Wembley next month.
GettyKobbie Mainoo needs to start against Brazil[/caption]
GettyHe could be a combo of Bobby Charlton and Nobby Stiles[/caption]
Ahead of this summer’s Euros, there is a hole in England’s midfield alongside Declan Rice.
In their last two serious internationals, against Ukraine and Italy earlier this season, that position was taken up by Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips.
Hendo has flitted in and out of semi-retirement in Saudi Arabia and Amsterdam, while Phillips is an on-loan rust-bucket who was sent off for West Ham against Nottingham Forest at the weekend.
An experiment with Trent Alexander-Arnold in the centre of midfield proved little in the Euro qualifiers in November.
So, while Mainoo may only be 11 matches into his Premier League career, an audition for a place in the squad — and perhaps the starting XI — should be on Gareth Southgate’s agenda.
At first glance, Mainoo appeared a neat, tidy, unfussy ball-winning defensive midfielder.
But at Wolves this month, he scored a stunning individual winner in the 97th minute after United had tossed away a two-goal lead.
And at Luton on Sunday, he looked the genuine all-round midfield article, and is probably going to be a box-to-box No 8 — while Ross Barkley was also looking England class again.
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The Kenilworth Road press box is one of those vantage points that allows you to get up close and personal — fully appreciating the sheer velocity of Premier League football, as well as the racket of a passionate crowd in an old-school venue.
Amid the chaos, the maturity of Mainoo’s decision-making and the neatness of his footwork in tight spaces was seriously impressive as United weathered a battering from the Hatters.
While his midfield partner Casemiro — a four-time Champions League winner — looked panicked and ought to have been sent off for two yellow cards before his half-time substitution, Mainoo’s temperament was serene and his technique exquisite.
Yes, he was booked in the second half but that was for an excellent ball-winning challenge.
So, are we in danger of over-hyping a largely untried player?
Not when there’s a starting place up for grabs, a tournament to be won and a couple of friendlies still to play.
Start Mainoo against Brazil and if he impresses, do so again against Belgium three days later.
If he doesn’t cut it, allow him to develop in the Under-21s but Mainoo looks like a rare talent well worth a punt.
Hendo has flitted in and out of semi-retirement in Saudi Arabia and Amsterdam, while Phillips is an on-loan rust-bucket who was sent off for West Ham against Nottingham Forest at the weekend.
Dave Kidd
England have frequently parachuted teenagers into major tournaments, including Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Theo Walcott and Marcus Rashford.
And while Southgate can show uncommon loyalty to certain players, including Henderson and Phillips, he isn’t averse to capping teenagers.
The England boss has given debuts to Jude Bellingham, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Jadon Sancho at a younger age than Mainoo will be next month, as well as Mason Greenwood, Rico Lewis and Bukayo Saka.
That list shows teenage debutants can be hit and miss, for every Bellingham and Saka there may be a Sancho or Greenwood.
Mainoo is also eligible to play for Ghana and Southgate has been keen not to select dual-qualified players merely to prevent them switching allegiance.
The United kid has been pencilled in for a first England Under-21 call-up next month.
EPASouthgate has placed trust in young players in the past[/caption]
GettyBellingham was handed caps by Southgate as a teenager[/caption]
But while Southgate likes players to go through the age-group ‘pathway’, he is not too dogmatic about it. Sancho never played for the Under-21s, while Saka did so only once.
If next month’s friendlies, the last two England matches before Southgate names his squad for Germany, are to be fully worthwhile, then Mainoo needs a proper audition.
If key players such as Harry Kane, Bellingham, Rice and John Stones are fit, the Three Lions have their best chance of winning a trophy since 1966.
Perhaps Kobbie can swiftly join Bobby and Nobby as an England trophy winner. Perhaps not.
At the very least, Southgate shouldn’t die wondering.
NOTT A BAD IDEA
AFTER another shambolic week for Premier League refs, there’s little wonder Nottingham Forest have employed showbiz whistler Mark Clattenburg as England’s first ‘refereeing consultant’.
It took 4½ minutes for VAR to award a ‘clear and obvious’ penalty to Newcastle against Bournemouth.
Then we witnessed David Coote’s inexplicable failure to award a second yellow card to Manchester United’s Casemiro at Luton.
And there was a truly embarrassing top-flight debut from 30-year-old ‘fast track’ ref Lewis Smith as Fulham were used as PGMOL guinea pigs for the umpteenth time.
Is it another unwelcome by-product of VAR that, with leading refs often employed in Stockley Park, inexperienced officials are being promoted prematurely to plug gaps?
Anyway, Forest may be trend-setters in employing Clattenburg — and not just in case defenders start wielding Gladiators-style rubber dumbbells at set-pieces.
Referees cost clubs points. Having an experienced one on the payroll, trying to make sense of the incomprehensible, might prove crucial in a relegation battle.
GettyClattenburg has been appointed as a ‘refereeing consultant’ by Nottingham Forest[/caption]
IT’S ALL SAM-EY
DAVID MOYES is entering Sam Allardyce territory as he takes on West Ham’s supporters in football’s age-old style-versus- substance debate.
While at Upton Park, Allardyce claimed fans were “delusional” for demanding his team play “the West Ham way”.
And Moyes is heading down the same path by calling himself a “winner” after three straight defeats by an aggregate score of 11-0.
In my experience the Hammers are no different to most other fan bases at non-elite clubs. They’d like to see their team win and if they don’t, they’d appreciate a certain level of entertainment.
West Ham have spent half a billion pounds over the past five years, more than Liverpool or Newcastle, so a bit of fun should not be too much to ask.
PAMoyes could be on borrowed time at West Ham[/caption]
Arsenal roll on
IMPRESSIVE stuff from Arsenal, the club in need of a centre-forward, who have won back-to-back away games by a combined 11-0.
Are they serious title contenders?
Well, if they defeat Newcastle on Saturday, in what has become a great grudge match, on the back of tomorrow’s trip to Porto, then I’m a believer.
Proper celebrations
MAURICIO POCHETTINO demanded Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling should celebrate properly if they scored at their former club Manchester City.
But Sterling chose a ‘respectful’ non-celebration instead when he notched for Chelsea.
So it was pleasing to see Newcastle’s Matt Ritchie gleefully kicking the s**t out of a corner flag after netting against his old side Bournemouth.
GettyRitchie shelved the ‘respectful’ celebrations against Bournemouth[/caption]
You’ll never sing that
CONGRATULATIONS to Jack Grealish, who has won a trophy for his barnet, which may or may not count towards a Manchester City quadruple.
Altogether now, ‘The Estenove Soccer Players’ Hairstyle of the Year award — you’ll never sing that!’
RexGrealish’s hair has won an award[/caption]
Pay rise?
AGENTS, and particularly those of full-backs, will tell you full-backs tend to be hugely underpaid in comparison to players in other roles.
And now that every Premier League right-back seems to be doubling up as a central midfielder, doing two people’s jobs for half a salary does seem a little harsh.