Forgotten Man Utd youngster sends message to Michael Carrick – & proves Amorim wrong | OneFootball

Manchester United starlet Chido Obi is one of those rare wonderkids that you’re well aware of long before they break into the first team.

The story was irresistible. A dead-eyed sharp-shooter who’d racked up literally hundreds of goals at youth level stolen right from under Arsenal’s noses.

Everything seemed to be going to plan when Amorim regularly called upon the Denmark Under-20 international in the run-in last season. He’d not even yet turned 18.

But the path to the top is rarely linear, and this season he’s yet to play a minute for United’s first team. Only once has he even been named in a matchday squad.

There was a particularly awkward moment in which Amorim explicitly mentioned Obi’s youth team record this season, alongside what felt like an unnecessary dig at Sheffield Wednesday loanee Harry Amass.

“Of course. He’s not playing so many games, but Kobbie has had opportunities, especially last year. Everyone has,” Amorim told reporters.

“Amass is now struggling in Championship. Chido is not always a starter in the Under-21s.”

Whatever the truth and validity of his words, Amorim singling out young players felt like a major PR own goal. You can imagine the word ‘optics’ being thrown around in the United boardroom.

After Amorim’s words caused a stir, Obi responded by posting a picture of himself celebrating a goal for the Under-21s on Instagram.

A thoroughly modern football tet-a-tet, with tabloids seemingly obligated to describe the post as “a cryptic message”, Amorim later doubled down on the criticism – accusing the younger players of “entitlement”.

“I think it is the feeling of entitlement that we have in our club,” the Portuguese coach said.

“Sometimes strong words are not bad words. Sometimes difficult moments are not a bad thing for the kids. We don’t need to be always with accolades in everything, in every situation.

“We are not helping, that is why you guys [the media] talk about a lot of players, nowadays they speak and go against the club because they feel entitlement.”

It was never a good look for a bloke in his forties to be beefing with a teenager, while Obi himself has taken the high road.

“Thanks for everything gaffer, especially allowing me to make my debut for such a big club,” posted Obi following the news of Amorim’s sacking.

“Wish you all the best.”

There’s every chance those words were entirely empty, but it showed maturity. Line drawn. Move on.

https://twitter.com/FrankEra_/status/2010816780021743640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

And so he has.

There wasn’t anything particularly special in his brace as United’s Under-21s defeated Wolves 4-1, with an opportunistic poacher’s effort followed shortly after by a routine finish, but that’s no bad thing.

For a player to have genuine aspirations of making an impact for the first team, you want them to look effortless in youth football.

You want it to look all too easy, as was the case with his movement into unguarded space and no-nonsense finish. You want it to look like men against boys.

One unfortunate side effect of United’s early cup exits is that there’ll be limited opportunities for United’s fringe and youth team players for the remainder of the campaign.

Mainoo is several steps ahead of Obi when it comes to integration into the senior set-up, and his only starts this season have been in United’s chastening League Cup and FA Cup exits.

Michael Carrick has a proven track record of developing youngsters, with Hayden Hackney, Rav van den Berg and Morgan Rogers among those who have benefited from his guidance at Middlesbrough.

But we’re not expecting Carrick to lean heavily on Obi in the coming months. Benjamin Sesko is a £74million investment. As long as he’s fit, he’ll surely continue to start games with Champions League qualification on the line.

Regardless of that, the path forward for Obi is a straightforward one: take his opportunities whenever they arise, with the Under-21s or beyond.