I’m a great Scott thanks to Steve
Old Trafford yesterday – 3-0 to Bournemouth – super Scot McTominay revealed it’s all down to Clarke that he has turned things round.
Without his five Premier League goals – including a double in Wednesday’s 2-1 home win over Chelsea which makes him United’s top scorer – the Red Devils would be in the bottom half of the table instead of sitting sixth, just three points b e h i nd c h a mpion s Manchester City.
McTominay’s cl inical finish in the 3-3 draw with Galatasaray in Istanbul 11 days ago also kept alive their slim hopes of reaching the last 16 of the Champions League. But ten Hag is a man under severe pressure following yesterday’s shock r e v e r se – Un i t ed ’ s SEVENTH in the league so far this season.
The midfielder had been regarded by the Dutchman and his predecessor, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as a fringe player but now he’s a key man for the Red Devils.
Ten Hag also ought to give thanks to Scotland boss Clarke – who had previously used the 26-year- old as a defender or in the holding rol e – for t u r n i ng McTominay into an attacking midfielder whose seven goals in the first seven qualifying matches helped the national team qualify automatically for Euro 24.
And McTominay said: “The funny thing is that before the beginning of qualification I was going through a bad patch with football, having not played as much at club football as I thought I might have.
“That f rustration is normal and healthy but a conversation with Steve Clarke around that time stuck in my mind.
“He just asked if I was OK. It sounds simple but I don’t think anyone had asked me quite like that before.
“I told him that I was fine and I genuinely thought I was whereas he felt, with the way I was walking around and acting, that I wa sn’ t my norma l , smiley self.
“I thought that was interesting and it definitely planted a seed.”
Clarke then gave him the advice which has transformed McTominay’s club career while making it seem like child’s play.
“He said I should think about football the way I did as a child – to get back to enjoying it for the purest of reasons,” he told the new issue of Four Four Two magazine.
“Why did I start kicking a ball around in the first place? I remember going back to my room and speaking to my parents and girlfriend about it.
“I thought he was bang on. In the next two games [against Cyprus and Spain] I scored four goals – it’s mad.
“The manager made me feel so relaxed because I knew he had my back. He isn’t the type to say much because he doesn’t have to [ but] what he does say is often impactful.
“I give him full credit for how good I felt as that campaign got underway. The momentum from it has helped me so much.
“The atmosphere inside Hampden Park [against Spain] was magnificent and I can st i ll remember seeing my mum and dad celebrating. I want more nights like that.
“You can’t bottle that feeling, when you’ve given your all, of going back to the dressing room and feeling like you can take on the best.”
McTominay played in a more defensive role for ten Hag’s men yesterday beside on- loan Sofyan Amrabat but was unable to prevent a Cherries rout as Dominic Solanke, Philip Billing and Marcos Senesi put them to the sword.
Another home reverse will add to the pressure on boss ten Hag as he seeks to keep the wolves from the Old Trafford door.