Manchester United's Jose Mourinho says Scott McTominay deserves Scotland call

Last updated on .From the section Scotlandcomments102

Danny Williams of Huddersfield Town challenges Scott McTominay of Manchester United
Scott McTominay (right) has played 14 times for Manchester United

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has advised new Scotland head coach Alex McLeish to select midfielder Scott McTominay before England do.

The Lancaster-born 21-year-old, who qualifies for Scotland through grandparents, made his United first-team debut last season and started the FA Cup win at Huddersfield on Saturday.

Speaking to MUTV - and making a phone gesture - Mourinho said: "Because it looks like England is missing him, if I was Alex McLeish, the first thing I would do would be to come to me."

McTominay has now made 14 appearances for the Premier League club, eight of them starts, and Mourinho believes he deserves international recognition.

"I think Scott deserves more than what he is getting," the Portuguese said after a 2-0 win that took his side into the quarter-finals.

"Maybe it's because he's this kind of kid profile: a normal haircut, no tattoos, no big cars, no big watches, humble kid, arrive in the club when he was nine or 10.

"Last season, he was almost leaving the club to go somewhere, who knows where, who knows in which division he would be playing now.

"He has now played already, I don't know, seven or eight 90 minutes - he's not played five or 10 minutes - in every competition: Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Capital One Cup."

Manchester United's Juan Mata, Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku celebrate
Scott McTominay (centre) helped United beat Huddersfield 2-0 on Saturday

McTominay, who has been with United since the age of five, has not represented England or Scotland at youth level.

In November, he told Scottish FA performance director Malky Mackay, who was in caretaker charge of the Scotland squad for their friendly against Netherlands, that he had yet to decide on his international future as he focused on establishing himself at Old Trafford.

Last week, Scotland appointed McLeish as successor to Gordon Strachan after failed approaches to Northern Ireland's Michael O'Neill and former national boss Walter Smith.

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102 comments

  • Comment posted by Jota180, at 15:13 18 Feb 2018

    Laughing at the southern softies coming on here to decry Scottish football.
    Lars Lagerbäck immediately prior to sending out his Iceland team to face England in the European Championships made this telling statement - "boys, you're about to face the most over-rated side in world football". But that's what too many English are all about, over rating themselves. Truly a 3rd tier footballing nation.

  • Comment posted by MrKennedy, at 13:51 18 Feb 2018

    I like the kid, he's a throwback to the previous generation and he will be a star.

  • Comment posted by U16805582, at 14:45 18 Feb 2018

    various MUFC_NOT_IN_MANCHESTER
    there seems to a common occurrence lately that you come onto various HYS and deride various footballers. Have you not got anything good to say about anyone or are you just a see wee troll that sits in his bedroom and spouts your bile about any subject. Dude, grow up and grow a set.

  • Comment posted by Roaming in the Gloaming, at 15:46 18 Feb 2018

    If the lads a decent player.....as Utd fans say....we must seriously consider him!

  • Comment posted by Gregor Townsend, at 13:55 18 Feb 2018

    @2 You upset because mummy forgot the Yorkshire puddings for your Sunday roast?

  • Comment posted by Chris Ross, at 17:14 18 Feb 2018

    We (Scots) are utterly irrelevant to you competition wise at present and a player like McTominay joining our set up would really not influence or affect you lot at all.

    Your World Champions at various youth levels and develop top players but they rarely kick on due to never getting top flight games. Sort that out as that's your main issue.

  • Comment posted by Markus Weldon, at 16:03 18 Feb 2018

    33. roverman

    And scotland are a 50th tier football nation. You have no history.
    =======================================

    And England were lucky to get a draw with the 50th tier football nation on the last encounter.

    Seem to recall that other "50th tier football nation"; Iceland managed to tame the mighty Engerlund.

    Happy to help roverman pet.

  • Comment posted by Lron2408, at 16:19 18 Feb 2018

    13.
    Posted by
    MUFC_NOT_IN_MANCHESTER

    LOL yet again another Utd related HYS and here you are again spouting drivel,

    You claimed 25 HYS ago that you weren't obsessed with Utd, I see you are getting heavily flamed on this one too as per usual.

    Get a life you sad sad person.

    hahahahah

  • Comment posted by Stevanovic, at 16:25 18 Feb 2018

    34. MUFC_NOT_IN_MANCHESTER

    I'm actually a Southampton fan so I fail to
    see how you sent me packing 😂

    Didn't you want to try a new hobby today? Knitting is meant to be quite therapeutic!

  • Comment posted by Bob, at 16:18 18 Feb 2018

    33. Roverman
    You have issues that you need to address. In the meantime, avoid making comments to avoid looking like a childish plonker who doesn’t really know anything about football.

  • Comment posted by Wayne, at 15:19 18 Feb 2018

    Another quality player from the academy which actually gets their players into the 1st team. Still needs to improve in cwrtain areas but hes got a good head for the game, is versatile, physically strong and a good attitude.
    I'm happy he's a United player and I'd rather the likes of him wearing our shirt than Pogba if his last few performances are owt to go by.

  • Comment posted by Nige01, at 14:08 18 Feb 2018

    I’ve seen him play live quite a few times. He has some real talent and has a great attitude. This is nothing to do with Pogba, if anything it’s a flag to Southgate. Midfield is sadly lacking for England and the management appears reluctant to look elsewhere. The best English midfilder I’ve seen this season is Shelvey and yet he gets overlooked every time.

  • Comment posted by Bothams Taches, at 21:40 18 Feb 2018

    @93

    Proving my perennial moaner remark wasn't misplaced.

  • Comment posted by Lron2408, at 17:28 18 Feb 2018

    47.
    Posted by
    MUFC_NOT_IN_MANCHESTER

    But i'm not on here crying about everything to do with Utd. Look at your name for Christ sake.

    If bitterness took the form of a person hahah.

  • Comment posted by viareidi, at 16:55 18 Feb 2018

    @ 33. roverman

    Keep the Faroes Islands and its football out of this thread please. For a population of only 50,000, our grassroots football development structure model is something the whole of the UK should really be looking at for inspiration to correct a current system that is not fit for purpose.

  • Comment posted by Stevanovic, at 15:09 18 Feb 2018

    MUFC_NOT_IN_MANCHESTER is just reeling from the fact he got a spanked on the other FA Cup Q Final HYS 😂

  • Comment posted by 42, at 18:50 18 Feb 2018

    He had a chance to play and turned it down..move on we dont want players like that..doesnt matter how good they are if their heart isn't in it they are useless anyway..he sees himself as english..end of

  • Comment posted by validata, at 17:40 18 Feb 2018

    The lad looks a good player

    I would love Scotland to start competing again and get into a European Championship and/or World Cup.

    Over the years they've had some of the best players in Europe (Dalglish, Souness, Bremner, Gemmill )

  • Comment posted by Stevanovic, at 17:07 18 Feb 2018

    47. MUFC_NOT_IN_MANCHESTER

    Ticket prices were cheaper for the Saints when they were in the Championship so would save some money!

    I still remember that peach of a goal Osvaldo scored against Man City, just pure quality!

    Interestingly, City haven't actually beaten Southampton more times than Southampton have beaten City.

  • Comment posted by Odourondewing, at 16:48 18 Feb 2018

    Who was the last English manager to win the EPL?.

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