19 Jun 2026 12:33 BST |
3 min read
Scotland manager Steve Clarke has slammed Manchester United’s ‘keyboard warrior’ supporters for their treatment of Scott McTominay, suggesting they played a role in chasing the Ballon d’Or nominee out of the club.
McTominay departed Man Utd in the summer of 2024 to move to Napoli in a €30.5 million deal. The 29-year-old has shone in Italy, leading Antonio Conte’s side to the Serie A title in his first campaign, leading him to 18th place in the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards, for which no Man Utd player was nominated.
Clarke says that he has not been ‘amazed’ by the midfielder’s impact, but rather that McTominay was simply underappreciated at Man Utd by a certain group of supporters.
“People think his story is amazing, but he’s just another example of social media critics,” Clarke told Telegraph Sport. “He played at Manchester United and every manager who went in always picked him.
“Sometimes he wouldn’t start. There would be games sometimes when he’d come off the bench, but he was always involved and always playing minutes.
“Maybe if he had the same backing and support from the social media keyboard warriors at United he would still be there and be a key player for them.
“I don’t think he’s too disappointed with how his move to Italy has worked out.”
Conte’s willingness to back McTominay to a degree that was never matched by any manager at Man Utd has also helped his explosion in recent times, Clarke explained.
“McTominay is a great example of how you should be as a professional footballer, and how you should look after yourself,” he said. “I think what he really needed and what he’s found at Napoli is a manager who trusts him and plays him every week.
“He’s made him one of the key players in the team, as he is with the Scotland team, and he delivers.”
Clarke the man behind McTominay’s rise
In many ways, it was Clarke’s use of McTominay with the Scotland national team that laid the blueprint for the success that the Lancaster-born star has enjoyed in Italy.
During the early part of his international career, he was often used as a centre-back but has gradually moved forward into a dynamic central midfield role that has allowed him to exploit a nose for goal that was effectively ignored by successive Man Utd managers.
McTominay has become a talisman for Scotland, with his spectacular overhead kick against Denmark a key moment in sending Clarke’s side to the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998.
He has amassed 71 international caps and has scored 15 goals for his country.
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