Don’t risk losing out on Scott warns Mourinho
JOSE MOURINHO reckons new Scotland boss Alex McLeish should give young Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay a call – before England do.
The 21-year-old hasn’t looked back since his surprise debut towards the end of last season.
McTominay has now made 14 appearances in all competitions this term having proven his worth to a manager not known for giving youth a chance.
Yet Mourinho has been surprised by the lack of appreciation for a player the United boss believes deserves international recognition.
Lancastrian McTominay is eligible for England and Scotland.
And after Saturday’s 2-0 win at Huddersfield in the FA Cup fifth round Mourinho said: “We had some players who missed but we had some that played so, so well.
“Honestly, Scott deserves more than what he is getting. Maybe it’s because he’s this kind of kid profile – a normal haircut, no tattoos, no big cars, no big watches, humble kid.
“Last season he was almost leaving the club to go somewhere, who knows where, who knows in which division he’d be playing now.
“He has now played already, I don’t know, seven or eight 90 minutes, he’s not play five or 10 minutes, in every competition – Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Capital One Cup.
“The kid deserves a little bit more (recognition). And because it looks like England is missing him if I was McLeish the first thing I would do would be to (makes phone gesture) come to me.”
McTominay, who has been attached to United since aged five, has not represented either Scotland or England at youth level.
In November he told the SFA performance director Malky Mackay he had yet to decide on his international future as he focused on kicking on at United. And McTominay, sure to be part of the squad for Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg against Sevilla, is certainly doing that.