Jordan Mainoo-Hames caused a stir at Old Trafford on Monday night by wearing a 'Free Kobbie Mainoo' T-shirt.
Mainoo-Hames uploaded the photo to social media.(Image: @jxrdan)
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Fans who entered Old Trafford to watch Manchester United against Bournemouth arrived wearing appropriate winter clothing. Some wore woolly hats and gloves, but Jordan Mainoo-Hames stood in a T-shirt.
Mainoo-Hames braved the cold for a publicity stunt, wearing a 'Free Kobbie Mainoo' black tee. The photo has gone viral, and Mainoo-Hames shared it with his 600,000 followers on Instagram.
It's difficult to unite the entire United fanbase to agree on anything, but the 'Free Kobbie Mainoo' shirt stunt has managed to do so, going down like a lead balloon among supporters. Mainoo's half-brother - they share the same father - has become the story when everyone should be talking about what was probably the youngster's finest performance from the bench this season.
To say the optics weren't good would be an understatement. What was Mainoo-Hames thinking with the stunt? He may have thought it was harmless fun, making light of a negative situation. The reality is that it looked like a Love Island contestant causing unnecessary commotion.
Mainoo's family will understandably be frustrated on his behalf, but those frustrations should be vented behind closed doors, not inside Old Trafford when the world's eyes are watching.
Amorim recently laughed at the suggestion that his substitutions were conservative and Mainoo should have been brought on against West Ham. He laughed because he had been asked about Mainoo again, however, it looked as if he was laughing at the idea that he would have been a good substitution.
His response went viral on social media for the wrong reasons. Then Mainoo liked a post on Instagram from a media outlet that had posted the quotes with a surprised emoji. Mainoo subsequently unliked the post, presumably after a private word from a United communications staff member.
That has been the only public sign of frustration from Mainoo this season. He has done everything he can to win a starting role again, working with private coaches during international breaks and changing his personal chef at home in an attempt to improve his game, but Amorim has continued to overlook him.
Tom Heaton, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez and Mainoo are the only senior United players not to have started in the Premier League. Malacia was reintegrated in September after being placed in the 'bomb squad', Martinez has just returned from a 10-month injury lay-off and Heaton is 39 years old.
There have been genuine reasons for Mainoo to be unhappy, but that doesn't mean his older brother should have rocked up to Old Trafford wearing a t-shirt to goad the manager. Ultimately, the stunt helps neither side.
This is not the first time a player's family member has brought trouble to the Old Trafford door. Alejandro Garnacho's younger brother, Roberto, caused a stir with his social media activity and got the pair in hot water. Garnacho was axed at the end of last season. The youngster had been given too many chances and Amorim had finally seen enough.
Roberto Garnacho said his brother was "thrown under the bus" after the Europa League final. There were several other outbursts, but he at least had the excuse of being a teenager.
Mainoo-Hames is older, he is well-versed in the media world after a reality TV appearance and was aware that a photo of himself wearing the t-shirt would spread like wildfire online.
And the timing of the stunt couldn't have been worse. Mainoo made a strong cameo from the bench and Casemiro is suspended for this weekend's game against Aston Villa after picking up another booking.
Although Amorim started Manuel Ugarte against Brentford in September when Casemiro was unavailable, it felt likely that Mainoo would be given the nod ahead of Ugarte after his display against Bournemouth. It remains to be seen whether the 'Free Kobbie Mainoo' stunt will have changed that.
Mainoo-Hames should have wrapped up warm in a coat and saved everyone the hassle.