Four Man Utd dressing room rules to change after Ruben Amorim sacking | Football | Sport
The successor to Ruben Amorim at Manchester United may consider altering four regulations that the Portuguese manager had implemented. The 40-year-old was dismissed following Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Leeds United, leaving the Reds in sixth place in the league. His departure came after controversial remarks he made post-match at Elland Road – where he subtly criticised the club’s board and implied he had little influence over the club’s trajectory.
He further stoked the flames by declaring to reporters that he should be considered the ‘manager’ of United, not merely the ‘coach’. After a mere 14 months at the helm, his reign has concluded. Darren Fletcher, a United legend who previously coached the Under-18s after a spell as technical director, will take temporary charge for their match against Burnley. No immediate replacement has been pinpointed, although Oliver Glasner is currently the bookies’ favourite, followed by Gareth Southgate and Mauricio Pochettino.
The incoming manager will need to decide whether to uphold or discard the rules established by Amorim. With this in mind, The Express has examined the previous regulations set by Amorim at Old Trafford;
No using international breaks for holidays
Players are forbidden from using international breaks as holiday time if they’re not selected for their national team. Amorim’s rationale behind this rule was to ensure rest and minimise travel.
“We as a club have to set the standards and manage that. It’s my decision if they can have five days, or three days, or three days to rest and you can’t fly,” he explained at the time. “This is something that us as a club have to decided. So this must be started in the club, with us and me being responsible in that area.”
No food in the dressing room
Another regulation implemented by Amorim banned food from the dressing room on matchdays, forming part of his drive towards peak physical conditioning.
“You can do a starting line-up with the best players on the planet, without running they also won’t win,” he declared in December 2024. “We have to run like mad dogs, if not we won’t win.”
Losing team in training picks up equipment.
This measure was brought in to encourage responsibility among the squad. During training ground matches, where the team divides into two groups, the defeated side must collect all the kit.
“Everyone wants to be the team that wins,” Toby Collyer previously revealed to The Athletic. “You don’t have to get the gear in then. It’s a jeopardy if you lose! All the other teams have to get the gear in.”
Meanwhile, Diogo Dalot has acknowledged that pre-season expectations have increased compared to the previous campaign.
“If you want to be in Manchester United, you need to match some standards,” he said. “If you can’t match them, it’s not a place for you.”
No complex instructions from coaches
In the initial weeks of his tenure, Amorim emphasised that his coaching staff should refrain from providing overly complex instructions to the players.
By ensuring coaches don’t overwhelm players with excessively complicated directives, the team can effectively learn their roles and implement them on the field.
