Manchester United star Scott McTominay has hailed the club’s former youth academy coach Warren Joyce as one of the key driving forces behind his breakthrough at Old Trafford, labelling him as the man who “transformed” him as a player.
In what is probably one of the longest interviews McTominayhas ever given in his time as a professional footballer, the Man United central midfielder and Scotland international recently sat down with Jake Humphrey’s High Performance Podcast to shed light on his career so far.
Clarifying that it was his podcast debut, the 26-year-old spoke candidly about his physical struggles with growing as a young player, dealing with the pressure from fans, his relationship with ex-manager Jose Mourinho and more — including the people who helped him become a Premier League footballer.
While he noted several names in United‘s youth academy that he “couldn’t speak highly enough of”, McTominay singled out long-serving coach Warren Joyce who changed everything for him.
As he goes on to detail in the episode, the now first-team starter says that he remembers playing in the youth team for Paul McGuiness (former pro and fellow academy coach) and getting “roasted” by Joyce in front of “everyone” at half-time.
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“I wasn’t even playing that bad” — and his teammates agreed, says Scott — “[but] he just roasted me, he ridiculed me, he said: ‘You play like you won’t ever get nowhere’, something along those lines. A little bit too forceful but at the time it was just a test.”
Once you “move up to Warren Joyce”, McTominay says, “he does that every week. That’s the norm, so he was just preparing you for what’s to come and at the time I didn’t realise that.”
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McTominay went on to describe the Oldham-born academy drill sergeant as just that: “ruthless… running; all the games he would be on the sidelines screaming”. However, he reiterated that the treatment simply gets players ready for men’s football, stressing that “it’s never going to be all sunshine and rainbows when you go out on loan because that’s not football; people are playing for their lives, the mortgages, the kids, their family”.
Put simply, the number 39 said that once it became clear what he was trying to teach he just “bought into every single thing he ever told [him]” from that moment onwards and, even though he was only 16-18 years old, remained at the mercy of his gaffer, no matter the position or the words he used.
🚨🎙️| Scott McTominay: "People always say, 'you played as a striker when you were young'. That's not true. I played two games with Warren Joyce because we didn't have a striker. Every time I score a goal, people say that, but I've never been a striker. I've always been a… pic.twitter.com/yPfJLsY4Qv
Scott McTominay the goalscorer is still a relatively new side of him but a lot of that comes down to Warren Joyce too.
When asked if he thought such a constant and brutal approach was necessary or if there are other ways to go about steering a youth prospect in the right direction, he did concede that it isn’t one size fits all and it sometimes depends on the characters of those people, but he always knew he was trying to help.
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But it wasn’t just grillings and critique that the ex-Bolton centre-mid served up, McTominay revealed that he was a taskmaster in a different way, often telling him to go and target a senior player to “show him who’s the man” — something helped instil an extra level of confidence as he moved up the youth setup.
He even discussed how Joyce would come and drag a player out of the team jacuzzi if he thought they were getting too big for their boots or didn’t train hard enough to have earned the relaxation, adding: “He was brilliant with stuff like that, he would never let anyone get too comfortable.
“He would always say that the thing about the ‘Billionaire’s Club’: those players are in there because they’ve earned it and they’ve grafted their whole life to be like that”.
McTominay went on to declare Joyce “the best person that any young player could go and see in terms of being coached by”, crediting him with “transforming [his] brain” and how he thought about football as a whole.
Strong words indeed and by no means the first to echo them. Club legend Gary Neville told United writer Andy Mitten back in 2017, a few months after he was appointed the first-team manager of Wigan Athletic: “Warren was absolutely brilliant in the very difficult role of reserve-team coach.
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“He was excellent at man-managing individuals who were hovering and drifting between the ages of 19 and 21. They’d be going out on loan, they’d have had a taste of the first team and the buzz of playing for the reserves will have worn off because they want to be playing in front of big crowds for a first team.
“It can be an uncertain time for a player but he motivated them mentally and physically. He maximised the players’ talents, he’d push them like crazy; he’d do extra gym work and join in with the players as if to say, ‘We’re in this together’.
McTominay concluded the section on the youth ranks by stating, “The coaches at United are the best in the world at making young footballers feel like they can do anything and also not getting them too much on their high horse, because they’ll bring you straight back down to Earth and level you straight away”.
He reeled off the likes of former U23 coach, Neil Ryan, fellow academy stalwart, Dave Bushell, and Paul McGuiness as other figures who helped not only nurture talents and keep egos in check around the club, and it’s clear that the discipline trickled down from Joyce and Sir Alex Ferguson above him.
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Joyce remained at the club for another three years after Fergie retired but it’s clear that the same rigorous philosophy he ensured was maintained throughout the academy is still felt by many of the players and staff.
Now in charge of the Nottingham Forest B-team and helping hand academy graduates first-team minutes, we’re sure there’s a whole new generation of players getting the trademark Warren Joyce treatment and hopefully many more Scott McTominays who’ll thank him for it down the line.
Featured Images — High Performance Podcast/Nottingham Forest (via YouTube)
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Kobbie Mainoo’s brother sends three-word message to Man United after Old Trafford stunt
Danny Jones
Kobbie Mainoo’s brother, Jordan Kwadwo Osei Mainoo-Hames, has caused quite a stir online after sending a simple but definitive three-word message to Manchester United and head coach Ruben Amorim, in the form of a publicity stunt.
In case you missed the blockbuster eight-goal thriller at Old Trafford on Monday night, the scoreline wasn’t the only headline on the night.
Man United managed to give up their one-nil lead right on two separate occasions, and despite clawing their way back to 4-3 with just over 10 minutes of regulation time left on the clock, ultimately went on to concede an equaliser in the 84th minute.
Despite Kobbie Mainoo’s receiving a rapturous round of cheers and applause when he was subbed on in the second half, not to mention adding some real dynamism in the middle of the park, any notion of his contribution has now been overshadowed by his sibling.
As you can see, Jordan Mainoo-Hames – who found fame after appearing on series five of reality TV show Love Island (2019) – took the opportunity to capitalise on the ongoing narrative regarding Kobbie and his relationship with the current United boss.
For months now, there has been much speculation around whether the Stockport-born youth product will stay at his boyhood club or leave in the next couple of transfer windows, given that he’s only been afforded limited minutes under the Portuguese manager.
Amorim, who has collected just 24 Premier League points since arriving last November, maintains that he recognises Mainoo’s but, crucially, sees him as competing for the same position as Bruno Fernandes.
Now a model for a number of big brands, he’s no stranger to posing in clothes, but in this case, it all centred around a simple black t-shirt simply reading ‘Free Kobbie Mainoo’ in plain white text, seemingly imitating Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ font.
Safe to say that despite catching the eye of plenty in and around the stadium, as well as countless more online, it hasn’t gone down particularly well with a good chunk of the supporters.
Even neutrals have hopped on social media to label the stunt everything from “embarrassing” and causing an “unnecessary” distraction to urging the 20-year-old to distance himself from the stunt and/or his half-brother.
Utter nonsense. His brother turning up at Old Trafford in a ‘Free Kobbie Mainoo’ tee is pure embarrassment. Clout-chasing disguised as support, when the player’s interests should be the priority. We’ve seen this playbook from families before… https://t.co/9p5uognVsX
For many fans, the incident was reminiscent of the Alejandro Garnacho situation: another promising youngster whose family’s outspoken nature on social media, along with his own, ultimately soured his relationship with Amorim to the point of leaving the club this past summer.
Rather notably, Garnacho ruffled even more feathers earlier this month after responding to a question about any potential regrets over how his time at the club ended…
As for his former fellow academy graduate, it is looking increasingly likely that he may at least leave on loan this January in search of more regular football, especially with the 2026 World Cup looming.
Whether you’re a Red or not, we’re interested to hear what you make of the whole mess. Let us know down in the comments.
You can see the highlights from the frankly bonkers game against Bournemouth down below.
Bury FC manager steps down just two days after appointment following major backlash over history
Danny Jones
In case you missed the news over the weekend, Bury FC manager Michael Jolley stepped down just two days after joining the club following major backlash to his appointment.
The uproar and almost immediate U-turn came in response to his past conviction.
After learning of his history, the club were met with a significant amount of stick from Bury fans and other football supporters, leading Jolley himself to quickly resign. Confirming the outcome by mutual decision, the club revealed his departure on Sunday afternoon.
Bury Football Club can confirm that Michael Jolley has today been relieved of his duties as First Team Manager by mutual consent.
Sharing an official statement, The Shakers wrote: “The Board recognises the strength of feeling expressed in recent days by supporters, staff, partners and players, and the very real impact the Board’s decision to appoint Michael has had on individuals connected to the Club…
“We will also be engaging directly with players, staff and stakeholders to listen, learn and ensure that appropriate support is available. Our immediate priority is the welfare of our people and the stability of the Club and our community.
“We believe this step is necessary to help restore confidence, create space for reflection, and allow Bury FC to move forward in a way that reflects our values and responsibilities.
“Bury Football Club remains committed to acting with integrity, transparency and respect. Further updates will be shared when appropriate.”
Confirming that the assistant manager, Tim Lees (who helped lead the side to a 2-1 victory over Mossley AFC at home this weekend), will be leading the team as interim head coach for the time being, they also noted that Jolley insists he didn’t want his signing to place unwanted attention on the club.
Wishing them the best in their search for the next man to take them forward, and believe they have a “special connection” with their local community.
Jolley states he made higher-ups aware of his past conviction before being interviewed for the job, as he explains in a lengthy statement of his own, which was released before Bury’s own announcement.
Following a period of reflection, I have decided to relinquish the opportunity to become the Manager of Bury FC. Full statement attached. pic.twitter.com/bAHekBfnb5
Addressing the situation on social media, the Sheffield-born former Grimsby and Barrow boss said: ‘After a period of reflection over the weekend, it has become apparent that my appointment at Bury FC has become a distraction for the club and so I have decided to relinquish the opportunity to become first team manager…
“Additionally, I welcome the fact that every investigation into the incident, whether through the legal process, or the subsequent investigations by the UK government, The FA, all established through evidence that I was deceived and at no time did I act maliciously.
“All three organisations concluded that there was no evidence which should prevent me from continuing my career, and that is what I have done, periodically, since that time. I consider safeguarding a critical aspect of coaching and have always delivered safe practice 100% of the time throughout my career.”
As he explains in the full document, “16 and a half years later, [his] CRB check has long since shown as clear, but in the interests of transparency and openness”, he still ensures any prospective employers are made aware of the case.
He goes on to say that he has become used to the abuse inside stadiums and online, given the nature of football fan culture, but now that he has a young family, he makes it clear that they are a key factor in the decision as he looks to prioritise their safety and wellbeing before his own.
The local outfit is once again looking for a new steward to steer them back in the right direction and, hopefully, away from any more intrigue and/or controversy. A return to the EFL still seems a way off, but who would you like to see installed as the gaffer at Gigg Lane, Shakers?
Danny Jones -
17th January 2024 
