The national team break is finally over, and someone who must come back full of confidence in any case is Kobbie Mainoo, who got his first games for England and was voted best on the field against Belgium.
At Friday’s press conference, Erik ten Hag was not so surprised about the midfield jewel.
– I thought it was very good (matches), but we are not surprised. We know what he is capable of, he can quickly adapt to higher levels. It looks very natural and we are very happy for him.
– We are also very proud, of course. It is brilliant for Manchester United’s academy to bring up such a young player in the national team. It is a great compliment to the whole club. For him, because he did it, but also for everyone who has worked with him during his time at the academy. This is very good news for Manchester United.
The attention surrounding Mainoo has naturally skyrocketed recently, but Ten Hag believes the 18-year-old can handle the pressure.
– So far he is handling it very well, and if he were to cross the line, I, as manager, and we, as coaches, want to speak up, of course.
– But so far it is not necessary, because he wants to play football, he wants to win, he wants to do his best every day, because he wants to improve. He just wants to have fun on the pitch. Fun for him is to play dominantly, to dictate the game and win the game.
Tags: Handles
