Ruben Amorim has challenged Manchester United’s hierarchy to let him do his job without interference.
After hinting on Friday at issues behind the scenes, Amorim waited until the final question of his post-match media conference after the 1-1 draw at Leeds United to make another significant point.
In the process, he repeatedly stated he was ready to move on when his contract expires in 18 months’ time, indicating he had encountered unwanted intrusion in his duties from senior United figures that would not be tolerated elsewhere.
He brought up the names of three high-profile former Premier League bosses and suggested they would not be subjected to the interference he feels he has experienced.
“I just want to say I came here to be the manager, not to be the coach,” he said.
“In every department – the scouting department, the sporting director – [they] need to do their job. I will do mine for 18 months and then we move on.
“I just want to say that I’m going to be the manager of this team, not just the coach. I was really clear on that. That is going to finish in 18 months and then everyone is going to move on. That was the deal. That is my job. Not to be a coach.”
Amorim also floated the idea that United have become too sensitive to outside criticism.
He said: “If people cannot handle the Gary Nevilles and the criticisms of everything, we need to change the club.
Neville is one of a number of high-profile former United players who have been massively critical of the club recently.
The former captain described the home draw with bottom-of-the-table Wolves on 30 December as “the baddest of the bad”.
Last month, Neville’s fellow ‘Class of 92’ member Paul Scholes said Amorim “doesn’t get” Manchester United because of his preference to play a three-man defensive formation with wing-backs, which goes against the club’s tradition of playing with wingers.
Amorim changed the system to four at the back for the victory over Newcastle on Boxing Day but reverted to a back three for subsequent games, including at Leeds.
A recent report claimed Christopher Vivell, United’s head of recruitment, called on Amorim to adapt his system after a particularly detailed explanation by Fulham boss Marco Silva of his plan to counter it following the 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage in August.
Amorim has said there have been disagreements with the club over transfer targets, while hints at growing tensions with director of football Jason Wilcox have been getting stronger.
Amorim’s 18-month plan – unless board ‘decides to change’
When asked if he still feels he has the confidence of the United hierarchy, Amorim said: “To start with that, I noticed that you received selective information about everything.
“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 when the board decides to change.
“I’m not going to quit. I will do my job until another guy is coming here to replace me.”
While United officials have tried to create a picture of harmony, their words are being tested by Amorim, who was named as ‘head coach’ when the club announced his arrival as the successor of Erik ten Hag – who was the manager – on 1 November 2024.
Amorim still believes United are moving in the right direction despite a run of one win in five games and three in 11.
It remains to be seen if his comments have any immediate impact. Amorim is next due to speak to the media on Tuesday, before his side’s trip to Burnley the following evening.
‘Now the situation has become serious’ – analysis
Amorim was given the chance to fully explain his post-match comments at Elland Road. Instead, he elected to leave the media room and let the journalists try to work it out for themselves.
He adopted a similar approach on Friday when he cryptically suggested there had been disagreements over recruitment, potentially in the wake of an attempt to sign Antoine Semenyo ending in failure.
As it stands, we don’t know if Amorim wanted the £65m that United were willing to spend on Semenyo relocated to another part of his team, which badly needs reinforcements.
What we do know about is his belief that managers need influence over recruitment. That is because he explained it when he spoke to the media after the 1-0 win over Newcastle on 26 December, as he looked ahead to the Wolves game.
He said then: “Sometimes I have one idea, Jason [Wilcox] and the board has another idea, [but] every decision we make we need to reach a common ground.
“That is really important. You don’t need to make everything for the manager because the manager can change and [then] you need to change everything. But you also need to understand [that] the manager understands the way of playing.”
It hinted at a divergence of opinion and Amorim has done nothing to quell that idea. Now, the situation is becoming serious.
On Tuesday, Amorim is bound to be asked for the clarification he refused to give at Elland Road.
At what point does Wilcox – who has not spoken publicly to the media other than one ‘safe’ club interview – get involved? Or chief executive Omar Berrada? Or minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe? Or the Glazers?
Amorim spoke a lot at Leeds about the next 18 months, in the sense that if he is left alone until the end of his contract, everyone can move on. But the modern football world is not like that.
United’s position in the table remains more or less as it was before the Leeds game. In pure league position terms, they are on track to qualify for Europe, which is the target Amorim was given this summer.
But it is impossible to imagine the current tension being allowed to simmer for another 18 months.
Amorim clearly thinks the parameters of the job he was sold have changed. Berrada flew to Portugal in the wake of Ten Hag’s dismissal and persuaded him to leave Sporting immediately – rather than wait until the summer as he pleaded to do.
It appears that where we have ended up is not to Amorim’s liking.
The big questions, therefore, are these.
If Amorim cannot accept where United are now, are the club willing to alter their vision?
If not, regardless of their position in the table, what will they do about it?
United boss backs misfiring Sesko
Amorim is not being helped by the form of £73.7m striker Benjamin Sesko.
The Slovenian has scored only two goals in 16 appearances and wasted more opportunities against Leeds, including the visitors’ best opportunity to get a winner when he sent Joshua Zirkzee’s low cross wide from six yards despite being in front of the goal.
It is now nine games since he found the net, against Sunderland on 4 October, and the decision to bring Sesko in as a replacement for Rasmus Hojlund, who has moved to Napoli on loan after two underwhelming seasons as United’s number nine and has scored nine goals in 21 games, is now open to question.
Not that Amorim sees the situation in quite such clear terms.
“Ben has completely different characteristics to Rasmus and he is doing the right things,” Amorim said.
“I know as a striker, if you miss chances they [outside critics] will say the player did everything wrong, but to miss the chances he’s missing, he has to be there. That’s the first step.
“He just needs to score one, then all the weight will disappear and he will be better.”
BBC
