Amorim’s Departure from Manchester United: A Turbulent Transition

In the aftermath of Amorim’s exit from Manchester United, commonly referred to as the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, it was disclosed that he engaged in a contentious exchange with director of football Jason Wilcox prior to a match against Leeds United at Elland Road.

According to reports from The Sun, Amorim confided in friends about his intention to resign following this heated confrontation. However, it is said that he reconsidered after consulting with his agent, Raul Costa, who advised him that the club needed to either support him or terminate his position.

After a 1-1 draw with Leeds, Amorim publicly expressed his dissatisfaction regarding the apparent lack of support from the board. He stated, “I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach of Manchester United. That is clear. I know that my name is not [Thomas] Tuchel, it’s not [Antonio] Conte, it’s not [Jose] Mourinho, but I’m the manager of Manchester United, and it’s going to be like this for 18 months or until the board decides to change. I want to make that clear. I’m not going to quit. I will do my job until someone else comes in to replace me.”

Despite his commitment to see out his contract, he was dismissed less than 24 hours later. United’s management, feeling cornered, had no option but to take decisive action. They convened another meeting with Amorim before informing him of their decision to pursue a different direction, leading to a financial compensation due to the termination of his contract.

Reports indicate that Amorim is entitled to £12 million from Manchester United, with the club’s total expenditure on failed managerial appointments since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013 now exceeding £100 million ($134 million). United would have avoided compensating Amorim had he chosen to resign, incurring additional costs after dissuading him from doing so.

Following the surprising dismissal on January 5, Amorim’s assistant coach, Carlos Fernandes, was quick to express his gratitude on social media. He wrote, “Thank you, Manchester United. Thank you to the world-class players I had the privilege to coach and learn from. Thank you to the staff members who showed true support. Thank you to the fans who stood by us. In the end, working at a football club of this dimension doesn’t just test your knowledge – it reveals character. A special chapter in my life. Proud to have served as assistant manager of Manchester United.”

Initially, United appointed Darren Fletcher as caretaker coach, promoting him from his role with the U18 team. However, his tenure included a disappointing draw against relegation-threatened Burnley and a defeat in the FA Cup third round to Brighton.

The managerial reins have since been handed over to another former United star, Michael Carrick, who has been given a contract through the end of the season. The search for a permanent successor to Amorim is set to commence during the summer. Carrick, who narrowly lost out to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for the interim position, will face tough challenges as he begins his stint, starting with a derby match against arch-rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford, followed by a match against Premier League leaders Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.