Jamie Redknapp has warned Kobbie Mainoo that Casemiro’s poor performances could have a negative impact on his development at Manchester United.
Mainoo has been a standout player for Erik ten Hag’s team since making his debut in the league last November. The 18-year-old has quickly established himself as a strong contender for a spot in England’s squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament.
The senior players at United have been under scrutiny for not offering enough assistance to Mainoo following his breakthrough into the first team. Redknapp suggests that Casemiro’s display during the 2-2 draw against Bournemouth on Saturday further highlighted this issue, setting a negative example for the young midfielder.
‘He gets a lot of stick, Bruno [Fernandes]. Some of it I get but I also think it’s unfair,’ Redknapp told Sky Sports.
‘When I watch him play I see a player who genuinely cares, there’s a frustration, yes there’s sometimes pettiness, sometimes he’s calling out his players.
‘But if I was coming into that club, or if Erik ten Hag keeps his job, he’s the sort of player you want to build the team around, he’s a player, he makes things happen.
‘He cares about the club, the team, I just see a player you can build a team around and I don’t see too many others who are showing the appetite he has.
‘It’s a culture at the club, I see players, multiple Champions League winners, at times walking around the pitch like they don’t care and you can’t have that.
‘I get the culture thing but I’m also big on good players, players who want to care, players who want to run around and do well for their team.
‘I think if you’ve got the right players in and around him [Fernandes], he’s done it for Portugal, I get his frustrations, it must drive him insane.
‘You look at the second goal that they conceded by [Justin] Kluivert, he’s trying to get his team up the pitch and he sees Casemiro walking around and jogging.
‘Kobbie Mainoo has got to be careful, he doesn’t want to get dragged into that as well, I want to see more energy from him.’
Following his critique of Casemiro’s performance against Bournemouth, where he compared the Brazilian’s display to that of a player participating in a charity match like Soccer Aid, Redknapp continued by stating:
‘This is my point with Kobbie Mainoo, he’s got everything, the world at his feet, but you need great role models to get to the top, you need people who you’re going to look up to and aspire to be like.
‘And at the moment, he’s [Casemiro] not setting the right examples to the young players around him. Like I said, I’m a massive fan, but that isn’t good enough, if you’re sprinting you could’ve stopped that.’
