Ruben Amorim - Manchester United Head Coach

You are making it sound like he didn't have any agency in this. Nobody forced him to sign. And the job might just have been available in the summer again.

If your potential employer gives you an ultimatum, you’re not going to risk calling their bluff if it’s a prestigious job you know you want.

Blame United’s management for the ultimatum in the first place if you must. Anyone criticising him for taking it would no doubt have called him unambitious or risk-averse if he declined it and lost out on the opportunity altogether.
 
Also consider the demeanor of Amorim in interviews and post match media he's under pressure. I think fans have invented this scenario where he can finish in an abysmal league position and he remains irrespective.

I reckon INEOS have given him support but no reassurance. He mentioned the objective for the club winning the league even if he's not the man in charge. That doesn't sound like someone with the same level of backing from the hierarchy as fans believe.
I'd say Ruben is smart enough to realize that he has no natural reassurance but that in the worst case he would land softly. If we sack him, I think it is fair to say it will come with another nice compensation fee. At this rate, maybe we can achieve spending 100 million in compensation fees in 10 years. Where are we? I think, Ole and ETH were at least 10 each, weren't they? Think Mourinho also had a mentionworthy one.

Season ticket holder here who wants him sacked. Trekking to games in the pouring rain only to see him field 7 defensive players week in week out has worn me down worse than Van Gaal's zombie football. For all of Ten Hag's faults, at least he would occasionally have a go and we'd see fast breaks to get us off our seats.
Maybe a Bruno compilation on your phone to lighten the mood? :)

Should be pinned to show how he has been absolutely miles worse than all of those examples of managers who took over mid season.

He looks fuxking terrible when compared to any of these, he looks fecking terrible when compared to David Moyes at Everton even.

He’s been absolutely shockingly shite.
So you seem to not like the new coach then?
 
It's possible that they've all agreed that this season is a bit of a write off in the league and are willing to let him impose his style and drag it out until the summer then revisit transfer targets.

If that is the case.

You might assume that maybe, just maybe, they are currently working on properly scouting players and laying the groundwork for deals to be done in the summer.

But this is probably not the case.
How many points off were we from a European spot when be joined? They were already writing off the season? Need to see what happens Thursday but I have a hard time believing if he said he'd finish 16th and bomb out all of the cup games they'd have signed him up enthusiastically.

What's happened, happened but expectations are going to be high next season, he has to show improvement with who is already here and early on my opinion. He can't just replace everyone.
 
It’s been less than 4 months he’s been in the job trying to implement a system with half a underperforming squad and the other half injured

While I don't think Ruben should be sacked. Let's not start leaning into the injury excuse. Up until a few weeks ago the only injuries we really had were Shaw who hasn't played since it feels like 2021 and Mount who is still to make his United debut.

Martinez, Collyer, Amad and Mainoo were all available up until the start of February. Right after the transfer window shut, a window where we signed only one player but let 3 go out on loan.
 
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The complete opposite, actually. It was just a power play, knowing the United job is still a prestigious one - it shows they wanted him to start the revolution asap, rather than just spin the wheels under an interim for 6 months.

Even more reason why he’s not getting sacked anytime soon, they knew what was required, unlike half the people in this thread.

Well we don't know that actually. It could just as easily be Ratlciffe/Ineos were embarrassed that they so publicly backed Ten Hag only to have it inevitably blow up in their faces 3 months later. So they were desperate to get a big name in asap to save face.

And it has to be said if Amorim was the clubs long term choice and not just the best available in November when they eventually realized they had to sack ETH. Then they could have got him in Pre-season as he was available last summer when the club were interviewing potential successors to Ten Hag. But apparently Amorim wasn't even interviewed.
 
Both the astounding managers that get a lot of hype like Klopp and Arteta surprisingly were Eight’th or 8’th in the league in their first season as far as I recall ….do many of the posters here want to argue that Reuben will lead us to a champions league place …come on …it’s not his squad and signings…Give a full season until you judge…no one of us will enjoy winning a premier league until the rot and rust has been cleared.
Who calls Arteta an outstanding manager?

Again, statistical fallacy. Previous results doesn't necessarily mean it will happen again, in the same pattern. Amorim should only be judged by the work he has done, not based on some modelling of other people's work. This complete phantom clear out people expect will not happen. He has to work with some current players and improve them. The team can barely string a pass together. I'm not convinced he should be backed given the evidence of his man management, tactical input and capacity to improve the team.
 
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I honestly feel like I'm looking at a different team when others look at it and think it should be comfortably beating teams like Fulham. It's trash on paper and in reality.

Players like Berge walk into our team who so many turned their noses up at in the summer.

Yeah agree. Some are still transfixed by the United name. As if that must mean we're automatically better.

Berge was the best midfielder on the pitch I thought. I'd have no problem with signing him in the summer.
 
I expect we will get him some players in summer then sack him by Christmas and write off the season again
 
Well we don't know that actually. It could just as easily be Ratlciffe/Ineos were embarrassed that they so publicly backed Ten Hag only to have it inevitably blow up in their faces 3 months later. So they were desperate to get a big name in asap to save face.

And it has to be said if Amorim was the clubs long term choice and not just the best available in November when they eventually realized they had to sack ETH. Then they could have got him in Pre-season as he was available last summer when the club were interviewing potential successors to Ten Hag. But apparently Amorim wasn't even interviewed.

That part has perplexed me from day one. The only rational that I have is that Amorim's agent dissuaded teams to contact him after the Tottenham debacle.
 
Yeah agree. Some are still transfixed by the United name. As if that must mean we're automatically better.

Berge was the best midfielder on the pitch I thought. I'd have no problem with signing him in the summer.
Why don't we sign every Tom and their pug puppy every time they turn up at Old Trafford? Bassey was better than him and so was Iwobi. United should put in a bid too.

Players raise their game against united all the time, nothing new. Doesn't mean you should take out the purse strings and splash the cash like a cartel clan. The team isn't great and needs improving but Amorim also does himself no favours with his rigid system that has no signigicant previous successful body of work. He also regularly plays failures like Maguire in the team despite having a full picture of how poor these players are. Three center backs at home against Fulham and is afraid of playing academy players.

Make all the excuses you want for him but the pressure cooker is building up. If he tumbles out against Real Sociedad then he is in big trouble. People talk about "writing the season off" as if it's buying a tarnished bunch of potatoes from the grocery store and returning it for your pennies or getting a brand new one. United's financial success and ability to attract sponsors relies heavily on performance on the pitch. No other corporation or business can "write off" a business quarter without getting hit. The microscope is firmly zoomed in on him and he knows that too.
 
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Why don't we sign every Tom and their pug puppy every time they turn up at Old Trafford? Bassey was better than him and so was Iwobi. United should put in a bid too.

Players raise their game against united all the time, nothing new. Doesn't mean you should take out the purse strings and splash the cash like a cartel clan. The team isn't great and needs improving but Amorim also does himself no favour's with his rigid system that has no signigicant previous successful body of work. He also plays failures like Maguire in the team despite having a full picture of how poor these players are. Three center backs at home against Fulham....
Well here's the thing and brace yourself for this.

I've watched Berge play other games as well as the one last weekend.
 
That part has perplexed me from day one. The only rational that I have is that Amorim's agent dissuaded teams to contact him after the Tottenham debacle.

Yep I'd be very interested to know what changed between July and October that suddenly made Amorim the clubs choice to build a long term project around.

Ruben had talks with West Ham, Liverpool and Spurs (I think). But United didn't feel the need to include him on their list of potential managers to interview.
 
Yep I'd be very interested to know what changed between July and October that suddenly made Amorim the clubs choice to build a long term project around.

Ruben had talks with West Ham, Liverpool and Spurs (I think). But United didn't feel the need to include him on their list of potential managers to interview.
His contract is only two and a half years right? Hardly a long term project.
 
We aren’t getting top 6 with our current midfielders.

Newcastle have only won 4 more games than us.

Considering Hojlund, Garnacho and Zirkzee have only one goal between them in 2025 I'd say it's not a huge leap to say two or three players could make up that difference.

This league is poor. I reckon with smart signings any club could leap quite a few spots.
 
I know y'all probably can't stand him anymore by now.

But please, trust me: it will heal. All the pain from losses and draws and eliminations that may come this season will be planting seeds for a bright future. The disease is spreading, but it must so that the rebuild is possible.

Trust him, and trust me, it will compensate. The path is forward, not backwards.
You don't know that what he achieved at Sporting will be the same at United or in the PL
 
To be honest I'm the same. 5 at the back and 2 number 10's seems ridiculous to me, and I can't see it ever working.

Yeah, inclined to agree. It's hard because I want him to be given time and I think he talks a good game at the very least. I'm just worried that we will end up with a squad prepared for a system no future manager will play.

Also, the only time this system has been successful in the league was when Chelsea had the likes of prime Kante, Hazard and Matic providing the necessaries. We are not ending up with players half as good as those for a long time to come.
 
Well true but long term to the extent that the club are willing to retool the squad to suit hus formation. As 343 didn't seem to be the plan last summer.

I don’t think there's any such thing as 343 players. Or 433 players. Or 442 players.

Wingbacks are just wingers with a good attitude to defensive work and the physical capability to carry it out.

There'll be no issue in switching Amorims signings to a new formation. Assuming they've got the base quality we need in general.
 
How many points off were we from a European spot when be joined? They were already writing off the season? Need to see what happens Thursday but I have a hard time believing if he said he'd finish 16th and bomb out all of the cup games they'd have signed him up enthusiastically.

What's happened, happened but expectations are going to be high next season, he has to show improvement with who is already here and early on my opinion. He can't just replace everyone.

All I'm saying is thay perhaps there was an element of compromise. He reportedly wanted to wait until the summer, they said now or never. So, they maybe met in the middle with the understanding that such a change to playing style, especially with the players being forced to adapt into a system that doesn't particularly suit the squad. They kind of knew it would result in the season being a bit of a write off and are willing to take the hit, with the view on a longer term approach to find the right players to bed in.

That's what I would expect to be happening behind the scenes.

You really can't bring in a head coach who has a particular style, give him a bunch of players who don't really suit what he wants, then sack him 4 months later because it's not working out.

That would say a lot more about the ability of the people in charge of the football side of the club than in would about the players or Ruben Amorim..
 
I don’t think there's any such thing as 343 players. Or 433 players. Or 442 players.

Wingbacks are just wingers with a good attitude to defensive work and the physical capability to carry it out.

There'll be no issue in switching Amorims signings to a new formation. Assuming they've got the base quality we need in general.

Perhaps but for Amorims system we'll probably need to have a few more centrebacks and no10s than we would normally if we were planning on using 433/4231.
 
Perhaps but for Amorims system we'll probably need to have a few more centrebacks and no10s than we would normally if we were planning on using 433/4231.

To me these positions aren't an issue. We have the central CBs in De Ligt and Yoro, the potential addition should be a CB/Fullback type, players in the mold of Pavard or Branthwaite. As for the 10s, you don't need a traditional 10 for either spots, you can have an attacking 8 and a player that is normally a wide playmaker with very good ball carying skills. That's what I mean when I say that the club shouldn't sign any specialists, don't sign players that are pure 10s, CBs or wingbacks. As an example in his prime Candreva would have been perfect for us but I would not sign him, instead someone like Valencia makes more sense because he was an actual winger, that was able to play in other roles at a high level.
 
How many points off were we from a European spot when be joined? They were already writing off the season? Need to see what happens Thursday but I have a hard time believing if he said he'd finish 16th and bomb out all of the cup games they'd have signed him up enthusiastically.

What's happened, happened but expectations are going to be high next season, he has to show improvement with who is already here and early on my opinion. He can't just replace everyone.

Top four was still in reach when he took over. There's no way INEOS were ever planning on writing off the season, I've only ever heard that phrase being used on here. Amorim instantly gave them the impression that we'd struggle/suffer while he drills a new system into the players, but that doesn't mean that absolutely all expectations and standards fall off a cliff in terms of results and performances.
 
Perhaps but for Amorims system we'll probably need to have a few more centrebacks and no10s than we would normally if we were planning on using 433/4231.
With Mazraoui at the club, I think we need like 5 other CB's which we would normally have as well.
Think under EtH we had Varane, Lindelof, Maguire, Evans, Martinez and Shaw/Kambwala.
Now under Amorim for next season; Yoro, De Ligt, Maguire, Martinez, and Shaw/Heaven. We might add one more CB, but I doubt it with Mazraoui also playing as RCB.

Think we will consider Bruno, Garnacho, Mount, Amad as enough options for the numbers 10. He will likely also play some wingers there.
 
He should have been sacked on the spot for mentioning the name Gareth Southgate

Where does this idea comes from? It has been mentioned on more than one occasion that he never mentioned Southgate, it's the press that linked them due to their shared past.
 
While I don't think Ruben should be sacked. Let's not start leaning into the injury excuse. Up until a few weeks ago the only injuries we really had were Shaw who hasn't played since it feels like 2021 and Mount who is still to make his United debut.

Martinez, Collyer, Amad and Mainoo were all available up until the start of February. Right after the transfer window shut, a window where we signed only one player but let 3 go out on loan.
To be fair Amorim's golden era of success came in that week where he stopped picking the names out of a hat, but hadn't yet been forced to use the bench as a crèche. Those heady days of 3 wins on the bounce will be hard to return to while practically half the subs we're naming started the season in Arsenal's youth setup.

And while what we've done with the squad is a big part of that, we had nine players out injured against Fulham in the cup versus three out when we beat them in the league. I think it's fair to say it's had an impact - January was actually looking alright before it all got fecked.

We scored 12 goals that month, with 8 coming from Amad, Mainoo, and Licha, plus a pair of Bruno penalties. The only fit open-play January goalscorer currently available in the squad is Diogo Dalot. Well, technically Ugarte (scored that one against us) too.
 
This should be pinned for some of the clueless supporters who want a manager gone after less than 4 months in the job.

The only one of that list who is in a worse position than when they came in is Amorim. Fewer games than all of them and already more losses than all bar Klopp.
 
While also been not a milion miles off Arteta and Klopp
We're miles off mate when you factor manager and team performance. Klopp and Arteta were able to stablize results, the former even got his ideas into a team that wasn't his pretty quickly. Amorim hasn't.
 
To me these positions aren't an issue. We have the central CBs in De Ligt and Yoro, the potential addition should be a CB/Fullback type, players in the mold of Pavard or Branthwaite. As for the 10s, you don't need a traditional 10 for either spots, you can have an attacking 8 and a player that is normally a wide playmaker with very good ball carying skills. That's what I mean when I say that the club shouldn't sign any specialists, don't sign players that are pure 10s, CBs or wingbacks. As an example in his prime Candreva would have been perfect for us but I would not sign him, instead someone like Valencia makes more sense because he was an actual winger, that was able to play in other roles at a high level.

Exactly this, the players needed are not unicorns who become useless in other formations. Every role is transferrable into more standard formations, this issue does not affect any of the other sides that play 3 at the back. There are teams in the PL who use this formation and transitioned into it without having to buy special players that can only play in one place.

Part of our problem is quality of player, durability and athleticism, up top our problem is just general quality and some of the problem is also our implementation of the style - Amorim seems to be struggling to implement a decent cohesion and style of play.

Keeping Ten Hag in the summer and persisting with Hojlund were two huge costly mistakes, two very obvious costly mistakes too.
 
To be fair Amorim's golden era of success came in that week where he stopped picking the names out of a hat, but hadn't yet been forced to use the bench as a crèche. Those heady days of 3 wins on the bounce will be hard to return to while practically half the subs we're naming started the season in Arsenal's youth setup.

And while what we've done with the squad is a big part of that, we had nine players out injured against Fulham in the cup versus three out when we beat them in the league. I think it's fair to say it's had an impact - January was actually looking alright before it all got fecked.

We scored 12 goals that month, with 8 coming from Amad, Mainoo, and Licha, plus a pair of Bruno penalties. The only fit open-play January goalscorer currently available in the squad is Diogo Dalot. Well, technically Ugarte (scored that one against us) too.

I'm not saying the injuries have had an impact the last few weeks. I'm simply pointing out that between November and January we had a relatively fit squad.
 
We play Harry Maguire, we will always play a low block as long as he is in the back 3.Bar Dorgu and Ugarte we have no physicality.
He needs the time to build that nobody wants to give him anymore.
The pro’s of Harry are only in a back 3 system because he’s good on the ball, a serious goal threat and in the air he’s elite, plus he has that diagonal switch pass, if you have real pace on the wide CB’s you can cover his weaknesses and you get the guy that made two team of the tournaments internationally, Yoro and A Heaven might be the solution, However MDL seriously impressed me in the last game at RCB which is rapidly becoming his best position.

He seems to be positional sound and could easily get Harry to push up 20 yards. Both of them right now are a serious goal threat from set pieces.
 
To me these positions aren't an issue. We have the central CBs in De Ligt and Yoro, the potential addition should be a CB/Fullback type, players in the mold of Pavard or Branthwaite. As for the 10s, you don't need a traditional 10 for either spots, you can have an attacking 8 and a player that is normally a wide playmaker with very good ball carying skills. That's what I mean when I say that the club shouldn't sign any specialists, don't sign players that are pure 10s, CBs or wingbacks. As an example in his prime Candreva would have been perfect for us but I would not sign him, instead someone like Valencia makes more sense because he was an actual winger, that was able to play in other roles at a high level.

I think we need to replace Maguire and/or Lindelof.

With Mazraoui, Martinez, Yoro and Deligt with maybe Maguire or 2 new signings/youth players. We should be alright.

But as a club prone to defensive injury crises we'll need better luck in future with 3 at the back.
 
Firstly you keep mentioning the media briefings about new managers.

Call INEOS SPINEOS, wouldn’t it make more sense for them to spin, how great Amorim is behind the scenes to justify there choice…..

Or maybe the media are reveling and click baiting, the maximum they can out of us being Sh1t.

Secondly this isn’t the same squad that finished 3rd.

Rashford gone, Fred gone, Varane gone, Shaw permanently injured, AWB gone, Eriksen legs have gone, Casemiro not the same, Mctominay gone and Weghorst is better than Hojlund atleast he could hold up the ball, DDG gone and Martial gone.

The fact ETH has replaced the majority of the above with crap, for extortionate prices is the reason we are where we are, the team that finished 3rd doesn’t exist here anymore.

If we accept it we are going to go the way of Leeds….

They went under, due to their board gambling on ITV Carlton TV revenue which never came, so had a fire sale and huge financial issues.

Looking at the cost cutting from INEOS and all the reliable financial experts, highlights the fact we are in serious trouble financially, without INEOS putting actual money in the club who know the situation we would be in, the Glazers wouldn’t put a penny in to save us from administration.

That doesn’t mean I am justifying anything they have done, I do not agree with all of it, but a business that hasn’t made a profit since 2019 and is losing money clearly is underperforming and bloated.

18-20 points if we added that onto what we are on now, that would put us 3rd behind Arsenal.

If that is your barometer for Amorim, you are having a laugh, he deserves some criticism but you think this team is gonna go on a run and start scoring goals for fun to win that many games.

You must truly be delusional, just like your usual £300m transfer window fantasy.
No but I expect a coach that manages Man United not to come out with yet another statement saying ; “The Europa cup doesn’t matter, just like he says the same about the FA Cup!”

He’s just digging his own grave, I expect nothing but 1 point per game in the PL all the way to early next season when SJR inevitably gives him the boot and fans like you do a full 180 when you realise Ineos are seriously just as bad as the Glazers, and they are making multiple mistake after mistake as co owners of the club.

Why doesn’t Amorim just zip it, fans don’t want to hear we have no chance in the Europa League and his delusional BS about wining the PL, hey Ruben win back to back matches in the EPL first because all the previous coaches since Fergie at least managed to do just that!


Ps I said without European Football next season he would be lucky to get £50m but he needs £250-300m to get his imprint on a team which is why Liverpool said no!
 
With Mazraoui at the club, I think we need like 5 other CB's which we would normally have as well.
Think under EtH we had Varane, Lindelof, Maguire, Evans, Martinez and Shaw/Kambwala.
Now under Amorim for next season; Yoro, De Ligt, Maguire, Martinez, and Shaw/Heaven. We might add one more CB, but I doubt it with Mazraoui also playing as RCB.

Think we will consider Bruno, Garnacho, Mount, Amad as enough options for the numbers 10. He will likely also play some wingers there.

Personally going forward I think Ruben and the club should not go into another season considering Mount an option.
 
If he has replaced ETH in the summer, he still would have had 2 in 12 months, so I don’t get what your point is.
My point is SJR likes to fire Coaches and DOF, so if RA doesn’t improve the form on the pitch he’ll get sacked whether this season or early next.
 
I know y'all probably can't stand him anymore by now.

But please, trust me: it will heal. All the pain from losses and draws and eliminations that may come this season will be planting seeds for a bright future. The disease is spreading, but it must so that the rebuild is possible.

Trust him, and trust me, it will compensate. The path is forward, not backwards.
This is based on nothing but faith. Faith and Hope will not get Amorim or the team higher up the table. He needs to sort this shit out.

Both the astounding managers that get a lot of hype like Klopp and Arteta surprisingly were Eight’th or 8’th in the league in their first season as far as I recall ….do many of the posters here want to argue that Reuben will lead us to a champions league place …come on …it’s not his squad and signings…Give a full season until you judge…no one of us will enjoy winning a premier league until the rot and rust has been cleared.
Why do posters like this always ignore the context around these 8th place finishes? Both managers came into teams that were underperforming and in bad form, they immediately put their stamp on them by getting them to play their style of football relatively quickly. However, because the teams were made up of players that were mostly not a good fit or good enough, they had inconsistent form. But at least with Klopp in that first half a season, you could see improvement. Arteta won a trophy in his first season, and although his second was not good enough position wise, clearly something was being done that the club could see they were on the right path. This is the polar opposite of Amorim, where he took a team that was in bad form but not in the worst place positionally, and then made it perform worse. We went from mid table to lower table within four months, how is this in anyway the same?