Roy Keane has sharply criticized Jordan Hames-Mainoo, calling him an “idiot” for wearing a t-shirt with the slogan “Free Kobbie Mainoo” during Manchester United’s tumultuous 4-4 draw against Bournemouth. Keane suggested that such antics might jeopardize Kobbie Mainoo’s prospects of impressing under manager Ruben Amorim.

This season, Mainoo has only completed one full match under the guidance of the Portuguese manager, which was during Manchester United’s embarrassing loss to Grimsby, a team struggling in League Two, in the Carabao Cup.

The 20-year-old midfielder has mostly been used as a substitute, making just 12 appearances across all competitions since the season commenced.

On The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast, Keane remarked, “Are you telling me he can’t wait there another six months? He might be thinking the manager will leave in the summer. At 20 years old, what’s wrong with learning your trade? Even if opportunities are scarce, many of us have been in that position.”

Keane added, “Sometimes a manager is hard on you, and you have to prove them wrong. Jamie [Carragher] mentioned he never felt secure at Liverpool, and I never felt that way at United either.”

Kobbie Mainoo has been struggling for minutes at Man United since the start of the season

His brother, former Love Island star Jordan Hames-Mainoo, added fuel to the fire wearing a controversial t-shirt at Old Trafford on Monday

‘Every day is your chance to prove yourself to the manager and when the manager is picking his team, (he thinks) ‘he has to play’. He’s got to get that in his mindset.’

Man United rejected Mainoo’s intention to go on loan over the summer, with Napoli believed to be his preferred destination, but Amorim has since suggested that the player has not taken his opportunities to break into the first team – despite hinting that Mainoo’s competition for his place is club captain and regular starter Bruno Fernandes. 

‘What’s football about? The life of a footballer is about trying to prove people wrong,’ Keane continued. ‘There was chat about Bruno leaving the summer, he might leave next summer. Bide your time.

‘I have no problem players going out on loan, it can work for everybody, but sometimes as a player, your biggest challenge is here at Man United and getting into that first-team. 

‘Even if the manager is saying “you’re not going to get in over Bruno”, prove them wrong!’

Keane also had sharp words for Mainoo-Hames, whose t-shirt stoked controversy on Monday evening, and did little to pour cold water on speculation that his brother is unhappy with his current situation at the club. 

‘When he’s got his idiot of his brother doing all that stuff – we shouldn’t even be giving his brother the time of day,’ Keane asserted. ‘Because sometimes you’re just surrounded by idiots, especially in families. 

‘(But) you come in after the match, and your brother did that… if my brother even done that, you would be looking at him going, “what are you doing?” You would, and do you know what – do you think his brother’s done that without asking him? He’s under contract, probably been paid a decent wage…’

Roy Keane was critical of Mainoo and believed that the player has failed to take his chances

The 20-year-old is behind Bruno Fernandes in the pecking order in the team’s starting XI

Ruben Amorim has been unwilling to rely on Mainoo and suggested that he has not taken up opportunities given to him

Keane also highlighted how Mainoo’s one outing against Grimsby had not necessarily made a good case for his future inclusion in Amorim’s starting XI teams. 

‘Sometimes, that’s the only chance you get, and you take it,’ Keane added. 

‘If you’re coming back on the bus after Grimsby, and be on that bus as United players, and you’re sitting there and you’re going, “we just lost to f****** Grimsby”, and someone says, “you had that opportunity, you’re not going to get a chance for another six months”, I don’t expect to get another chance! Because I can’t beat Grimsby!’ 

When podcast co-pundit Jill Scott argued that all of the Man United team to lose to the League Two strugglers had been ‘c***’, Keane continued: ‘When everyone else is terrible, you make sure you’re good. 

‘Let me tell you, it’s very easy to be good in a bad team, so you rise above that. You know what, we defend the players too well sometimes on here.’ 

Among the former Man United stars to have defended Mainoo’s position at Man United are Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, and Rio Ferdinand. 

All three of the former team-mates have called upon the player to leave the club in January, with Scholes suggesting that he might succeed at Premier League rivals Chelsea. 

‘You would have to advise him to go,’ he stressed last week. ‘If he rang me and said “I think Chelsea are in for me what do you think”, I’d say “all day long”.’

‘He is a 20 year old kid, he is going to have to leave. What will happen know is (Amorim will) bring him into a game and he won’t be great, because he needs five, six, seven, eight games. He’ll throw him into the team and say “I told you so”.