MCTOMINAY INSPIRED BY LINGARD AND RASHFORD
It is Monday night and the famous Old Trafford clock shows we are in the 85th minute.
Manchester United's Reserves have been pegged back by a second Derby County equaliser and the Reds need a hero. Step forward Scott McTominay, turning to fire a loose ball home in front of the Stretford End for his second goal of the game and one that earned a valuable Premier League 2 win for Warren Joyce's youngsters.
The joy in his sliding celebration was obvious – it was the sort of thing every schoolboy footballer dreams of – but it was a long and difficult route to this point for the 19-year-old. This is a teenager who sprouted up so much he went from being described in his player profile as 'diminutive' to becoming one of the tallest players at the club.
"It was around 18 months ago," he tells ManUtd.com. "I was 5ft 6ins and, to go from that to the height I am now, 6ft 2ins or 6ft 3ins, it takes a little bit of time to get used to it. It’s not a problem, though, as I’m going to put that behind me and look to the season ahead.
"It’s just more of the fact that my body was not ready at all. Warren and Paul McGuinness were really good with me at that time, nurturing me and putting me in and out of training sessions while not giving me so much game time. I’m at the height I am now and I want to keep going this season and get as much game time as I possibly can. I always knew I was going to be quite tall but maybe not that tall!"
The careful nurturing must have been difficult to deal with but he can discuss it with real honesty: "I think when I was 13 or 14, if I was at another club who weren’t as patient with me as I was smaller and not playing games, I think they might have thought: 'We’ll just get rid of him'. I couldn’t fault United when I was growing up and how they treated me. How it’s panned out has obviously been really good."
Injuries and that incredible growth spurt affected his progress at a time when he was already scrapping for recognition and jostling for a place in one of world football's best academies. Remarkably, the lengthy absence and cautious treatment has enabled him to come to the fore now.
"It was such a tough period, I would say 18 months but it’s probably even longer than that," he recalls. "It was a long time I missed and it is tough getting yourself back up to where everyone else is. But that’s just the attitude you need to have.
"I think that’s the best thing that has ever happened with me," he contends with more retrospection. "Obviously, I like the height I am at now and missing that time allowed me to go to the gym to get much stronger. I notice that on the pitch now.
"I was always getting brushed aside by other boys but now I can really compete with them. It might not have been good for me to play for my whole body in general but I’ve got the attitude I want to get stronger, quicker and more powerful.
"I am relentless in the gym, doing the power work, and it’s one of the most important things for me. Having been brought up always being small and getting pushed off the ball, now I realise it doesn’t happen much now because I’m a little bit stronger and am competing with these guys.
"We go into the gym every day. A lot of it is leg-based but I work on my upper body and a lot of core. All the boys are dead competitive in the gym and want to be the best. When you’re at Manchester United, you can’t settle for anything less."
Making it at Manchester United is a tall order for any player, let alone one who was forced to spend such a long period of his formative footballing years on the sidelines. Yet it has become easy to see why coach Joyce is such an admirer of a clever operator who can clearly follow instructions and take tactical advice on board.
"Scott has just burst onto the scene and did well last season," comments Joyce. "He could be a proper box-to-box aggressive midfielder and we need to be mindful of that. He's a really good footballer, technically sound with good skills and excellent in the keep-ball sessions."
McTominay appears in tune with his coach's demands: "It is very hard but we wouldn't have it any other way. Sometimes it's a case of 'running again' but you notice at the end of games that other teams start tiring so that is why we do it. You've got to be as fit as you can." It is the sort of attitude that must endear him to Joyce, who has the knack of getting the absolute maximum out of the youngsters at his disposal.
However, there are other examples on the playing front he can use to spur him to greater heights. Scoring a couple of goals at Old Trafford for the Reserves is a pretty special achievement but he does not have to look very far to see other Academy graduates making their mark on the first team.
Jesse Lingard was famously small as a schoolboy, lacking the muscle and height to properly compete with bulkier opponents at one stage. His name will be forever etched in United's illustrious history after his sensational strike at Wembley won the FA Cup last May.
"That was an inspiration for me," admits McTominay readily. "It just shows how far you can actually come. A lot of people may have written Jesse off when he was a lot younger and smaller and thought he might not be capable of playing at the top level but look at him now, he’s done it.
"Marcus Rashford is another prime example. Marcus and I were in the Under-16s and we used to do 45 minutes each. We both weren’t capable of playing the full game. That was in the no.10 role and we’ve both moved positions; he’s gone up front and I’ve dropped back into midfield.
"Marcus has what you want to see as a fan: blistering pace. United is by far the best place for producing young players and winning trophies, which is what the club wants to get back to. Everyone wants to keep pushing forward and winning as much as possible."
With an Under-21 title already under his belt, there is more silverware to play for this season and, judging by the signs, Scott McTominay is going to be a key player for Joyce's side in their quest for Premier League 2 and Premier League International Cup glory.
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