Faria Critiques Modern Football Management Post-Amorim Dismissal

In the aftermath of Manchester United’s separation from Ruben Amorim, Ricardo Faria has surfaced to offer a critical evaluation of the management practices within modern football clubs. Having served as José Mourinho’s trusted assistant for nearly two decades—including their tenure in Manchester from 2016 to 2018—Faria took to Instagram to share a graphic titled “MIND PIECES” that encapsulates his views.

The content of Faria’s post serves as a philosophical critique of the encroachment of corporate interests in football, with visual elements clearly indicating its target. The background features a coach dressed in a tracksuit, prominently displaying the United crest and branding, albeit somewhat obscured by the graphic’s overlay.

Observers interpret this post as a thinly veiled critique directed at the United leadership. Faria, who was integral during Mourinho’s era—a time marked by public disagreements over transfer strategies and the eventual breakdown of the managerial relationship with the board—seems to imply that little has changed at the club, regardless of who occupies the managerial position.

Faria’s commentary contrasts traditional football values with contemporary corporate realities, arguing that the criteria for hiring managers have profoundly shifted. He notes that the focus has moved away from a commitment to winning trophies towards a compliance with corporate mandates.

“A great club’s philosophy used to be about silverware,” he stated. “Coaches were appointed based on their track record of success in order to meet the club’s objectives. Nowadays, coaches are frequently selected based on their readiness to align with the club’s business strategy. They are led to believe they are steering a sports initiative where they can make decisions affecting success across various departments. However, the club’s business model is fundamentally driven by numerical targets, with each department striving to meet its individual goals, often at odds with the coaching decisions that could impede their outcomes—irrespective of performance on the field. A successful football team transcends the sum of its departmental objectives, and the fragmentation of these goals can detrimentally impact points and trophies. Yet, the coach remains the public figure representing an unsuccessful endeavor, even when their authority is severely limited!”

Faria, who previously held the position of head coach at Al-Duhail for a year, began his partnership with Mourinho in Barcelona and followed him throughout his career, concluding with their time at United.

His remarks follow the recent dismissal of Amorim from Manchester United, which ensued after a 1-1 draw against Leeds in the Premier League and his public expressions of discontent with the board. Amorim publicly stated, “I want to be the manager of this team, not just the coach. I was clear about that, and that’s set to conclude in 18 months, after which everyone will move on. That was the agreement. I intend to manage this role, and if the criticisms from figures like Gary Neville and others are too much for the club to handle, we need to reconsider our approach. I aim to manage across all departments—the scouting department and sporting director must fulfill their roles while I perform mine for the agreed-upon duration.”

Following Amorim’s exit, Manchester United played to a 2-2 draw against Burnley, with former midfielder Darren Fletcher temporarily overseeing the team. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is poised to return to take on first-team responsibilities as the Red Devils currently rank seventh in the Premier League, trailing fourth-placed Liverpool by three points. In the upcoming fixtures, they will face Brighton in the FA Cup before hosting Manchester City in a Premier League match on January 17, followed by a trip to North London to compete against league leaders Arsenal eight days later.