Butt Tells Mainoo to Skip France Match, Wants Tuchel Out

Former Manchester United player Nicky Butt has told Kobbie Mainoo to turn down the chance to play in England’s FIFA World Cup third-place playoff against France.

Butt also wants the Football Association to fire head coach Thomas Tuchel after the Three Lions lost to Argentina in the semi-finals.

Mainoo made it into Tuchel’s final World Cup squad after showing great skill during the second half of the season at Manchester United under interim manager Michael Carrick.

Even with this selection, the 21-year-old midfielder has not played at the tournament, staying on the bench throughout England’s journey, which ended with a semi-final loss to Argentina on Wednesday.

With Tuchel likely to make changes for Saturday’s third-place match against France, many expect Mainoo to finally play.

Butt believes he should say no to the chance. He thinks Mainoo has been treated unfairly during the tournament, The Sun reported on Thursday.

“I don’t know what’s going on there. Something isn’t quite right.

“Now they’re going to play the bomb squad in the stupid third-place game.

“If I were Kobbie Mainoo, I’d refuse to play. I’d say I was injured. It’s a meaningless game, especially after the way he’s been treated.

“He’s not played a single minute, and now you’re asking him to start a pointless game and risk getting injured before the new season? No,” Butt said.

The former England player also questioned Tuchel’s position, saying the German coach should not stay after England’s poor World Cup performance.

Butt suggested the FA think about Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe or United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino as possible new coaches.

He stated, “There’s no way Tuchel can stay after that.

“If he stays, then John McDermott also has questions to answer.

“You can’t keep him. He’s not someone like Sir Bobby Robson or Kevin Keegan, managers the country adored.

“He’s come in and played negative football, extremely negative football, in a World Cup semi-final against an Argentina side that was there to be beaten.”