Man Utd board issue demands to Ruben Amorim after boss teases exit | Football | Sport
Tensions are reportedly mounting at Manchester United, with Ruben Amorim being told to demonstrate greater tactical adaptability by the club’s director of football, Jason Wilcox. Since his appointment in November 2024, 40-year-old Amorim has staunchly adhered to a 3-4-3 formation. However, this strategy has not yielded the desired results, as United suffered their worst-ever Premier League finish last season, languishing in 15th place.
The Portuguese manager also presided over an early FA Cup exit and a loss to Tottenham in the Europa League final. This season saw United make an early exit from the Carabao Cup, falling to League Two outfit Grimsby Town. Despite improved league performance this term, pressure continues to mount on Amorim, both externally and internally.
According to talkSPORT, Wilcox is keen for Amorim to show more tactical flexibility. It’s also been suggested that Amorim has been informed that there are unlikely to be any new arrivals during the January transfer window.
These developments follow United’s 1-1 draw against Leeds away from home. After the match, Amorim hinted at wanting more control within the club, rather than just being a ‘head coach’, which is his official title at Old Trafford.
When questioned about his sombre demeanour during Friday’s pre-match press conference, hinting at backstage issues, Amorim retorted: “Guys, to stop with that, I noticed that you receive selective information about everything.
“I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach of Manchester United. And 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. So that was my point, I want to finish with that. I’m not going to quit. I will do my job until the other guy is coming here to replace me.”
The former Sporting boss then made a pointed remark towards Wilcox. “I just want to say that I’m going to be the manager of this team, not just the coach,” Amorim asserted. “And I was really clear on that.
“And 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. If people cannot handle the Gary Neville and the criticism of everything, we need to change the club.
“No, lads, I just want to say that I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach. And every department, the scouting department, the sports director needs to do their job. I will do mine for 18 months and then we move on.”
