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Kobbie Mainoo reveals hidden positive of the Ruben Amorim era at Manchester United

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Kobbie Mainoo stated that he learned from his time on the substitutes' bench under Ruben Amorim at Manchester United, taking positives from the experience. Mainoo said this at a press conference before Manchester United's Champions League match against Roma. He emphasized that he has tried to learn from every period of his career, even when not playing.

Kickjolly · AI-written · automatically reviewed · United In Focus ↗
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Kobbie Mainoo reveals hidden positive of the Ruben Amorim era at Manchester United
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images

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Kobbie Mainoo stated that he learned from his time on the substitutes' bench under Ruben Amorim at Manchester United, taking positives from the experience. Mainoo said this at a press conference before Manchester United's Champions League match against Roma. He emphasized that he has tried to learn from every period of his career, even when not playing. Mainoo's time on the sidelines was part of his learning process as a young player.

Mainoo's outlook on his experience under Amorim is considered mature, given the criticism Amorim faced for not playing him regularly. The situation drew significant attention before Michael Carrick took over and restored Mainoo to the starting lineup. Mainoo's time on the bench helped him develop unquantifiable characteristics that can shape his career, such as resilience.

The issues at Manchester United under Amorim went beyond the manager's handling of Mainoo, with deeper problems at the club. Amorim's exit in January 2026 benefitted Mainoo, but it's unclear if more regular playing time under Amorim would have made a significant difference. Old Trafford has struggled to retain managers since Sir Alex Ferguson's era.

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Much was made about Kobbie Mainoo’s distinct lack of action under Ruben Amorim – but the Manchester United midfielder insists there were positives to take from their 14-month spell together at Old Trafford. Among the many criticisms levelled at the Portuguese during his time as Manchester United head coach was Amorim’s reluctance to regularly play Mainoo. Clearly, Amorim‘s decision invoked the ire of United fans, but Mainoo insists that his spell on the sidelines was part of the learning process for a young player. Progress and success, after all, are not linear concepts – particularly for young players. While the clamour for Mainoo to start more often was certainly understandable, life is full of peaks and troughs and football is no different.

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