Amorim’s Tumultuous Tenure at Manchester United

omidbasir- Rúben Amorim started his tenure at Manchester United with a promising draw against Ipswich Town, followed by a victory over Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League and an impressive 4-0 win against Everton. However, rather than express optimism in his pre-match press conference ahead of the clash with Arsenal, he issued a foreboding warning: “The storm will come.”

His prediction materialized as United suffered a catastrophic run, losing five of their next six Premier League fixtures and finishing the season in a dismal 15th place—the worst league finish since their relegation in 1974. It became evident that the storm never truly subsided.

Entering 2025, after a surprising draw at Liverpool and a comeback victory against Southampton, United faced another setback with a 3-1 defeat at home to Brighton. This match became notorious when Amorim, in a fit of frustration, smashed a television in the dressing room.

Contrary to expectations that he would adopt a more subdued approach during subsequent press conferences, Amorim boldly declared: “I am not naïve. We are the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United.” This candid remark only exacerbated the team’s dwindling morale. Christian Eriksen later remarked, “I don’t think that helped the players at all. It was a bit of like, ‘Oh, here we go again. Another headline.'”

By the end of January 2025, Amorim had notably dropped Marcus Rashford from the squad, and rather than deflect inquiries regarding the absent forward, he found new ways to criticize him. “The reason is the training, the way I see what footballers should do in training, in life,” he stated, alluding to his preference for Jorge Vital, his 63-year-old goalkeeping coach, over a player who was not fully committed.

Rashford, now thriving at Barcelona, appeared to have the last laugh while Amorim and Vital faced an uncertain future. A significant loss in the Europa League final to Tottenham, a team positioned below United in the Premier League, further compounded the issues, costing the club £100 million in potential Champions League qualification.

In a surprising move during the post-match press conference, Amorim offered to resign without compensation, stating, “I am always open, if the board and fans feel I am not the right guy, I will go in the next day without any conversation about compensation.” He also ignited controversy by justifying Alejandro Garnacho’s exclusion from the squad, leading to a public backlash from Garnacho’s family, including a strong public response from the player himself.

Amorim’s propensity for controversy continued as he oversaw a shocking defeat in the Carabao Cup against Grimsby Town, marking the club’s first loss to a fourth-division side. Following this humiliating defeat, he implied that the players had given up on him, stating, “Any team can win against a group of players. I think that the team and the players spoke really loud today.”

Despite these comments seemingly setting the stage for his departure, Amorim downplayed his remarks in a subsequent press conference, humorously claiming, “I’m going to say that sometimes I hate my players, sometimes I love my players, sometimes I want to defend my players.”

However, he remained steadfast in his approach, asserting, “This is my way of doing things and I’m going to be like that.” Yet, in what would become his final act as Manchester United’s coach, he vocally criticized the club’s hierarchy after a draw against Leeds, declaring he had agreed to be the club’s manager, not merely a head coach, and revealing that he had only 18 months left in his role. Ironically, he was sacked the very next morning, leaving his position untenable.

Amorim’s tumultuous end highlighted a tenure characterized more by his media statements than by on-field success, ultimately culminating in a fiery exit that matched the nature of his remarks throughout his time at the club.