Sir Alex Wouldn’t Have Let Him Go: Hendry’s Big Call on McTominay

Colin Hendry hasn’t minced his words: if Sir Alex Ferguson were still in the Old Trafford dugout, Scott McTominay would never have been allowed to walk out the door. In Hendry’s eyes, the Scot would be central to what Manchester United need right now — authority, legs, and goals when the pressure bites.

Hendry’s Ferguson verdict

Speaking on the Market Madness podcast, the former Scotland captain admitted he simply can’t fathom why United moved McTominay on. In the Ferguson era, he argues, the home-grown midfielder would’ve been made a fulcrum, not a footnote — a reliable presence when the parade of big-name arrivals failed to crack it.

From Old Trafford to Neapolitan royalty

Since swapping the Premier League for Serie A, McTominay has become a cult hero at Napoli — and then some. Shrines, tattoos, the lot; he’s been embraced as the new king of Naples. His debut campaign was a stormer: league MVP and a title medal, celebrating alongside Scotland mate Billy Gilmour.

Recognition on the grand stage

To top it off, McTominay snagged a Ballon d’Or nomination and finished 18th, pipping the likes of England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham and Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk. It’s the kind of ascent that makes United’s decision look increasingly baffling.

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Clutch for club and country

McTominay’s calling card? Turning up in the big moments. He did it at United, he’s doing it for Napoli, and he did it again for Scotland on Tuesday night. An outrageous overhead kick past Denmark keeper Kasper Schmeichel lit the fuse at Hampden as Steve Clarke’s men finally punched a ticket to the World Cup for the first time since 1998.

Lawrence Shankland doubled the lead before the 10-man Danes clawed their way back to level. Then came bedlam: Kieran Tierney smashed in during added time, and Kenny McLean applied the gloss with a halfway-line stunner for a 4-2 win and top spot in the group. Hampden, bouncing. The Tartan Army, delirious.

United’s lingering regret

Hendry’s bottom line is hard to argue with: United let a dependable, academy-bred match-winner go when their dressing room was crying out for exactly that profile. Under Sir Alex, he believes, McTominay would have been protected and promoted, not posted elsewhere. As the Scot’s stock soars abroad and on the international stage, the question lingers over Old Trafford — was this a misread they’ll be living with for years?

One thing’s beyond debate: McTominay has elevated his game, and he’s dragging teams with him. That’s the hallmark of a midfielder Ferguson would’ve built around — and precisely why Hendry thinks United let a gem slip.