Ruben Amorim is tipped by Manchester United fans to be the man to ‘turn the Reds around’.
But after his latest comments to the media, Amorim’s name has been accompanied by sack claims after just six months in the hot seat at Old Trafford this week.
A cultural reset is needed inside the Manchester United dressing room, and at a club with expectations like no other, it remains to be seen whether Amorim gets the backing he, in FourFourTwo’s opinion, rightly deserves.
Ruben Amorim will turn Manchester United around – but will he?
Amorim needs time. Plain and simple. In football, and at Manchester United, that is given at a premium. Erik ten Hag only got two and a half years, and even after delivering two trophies, the former Ajax man got the boot back in October.
But Ten Hag didn’t see his side slip down to 16th in the Premier League, with the Red Devils now set to record their worst Premier League finish ever in the modern era. Their saving grace: an upcoming Europa League final with Tottenham as the opponents.
FourFourTwo understands Amorim will be in charge at Manchester United at the start of next season, but his clearout during the off-season could see 10 players leave the club as he aims to deliver a cultural reset across the board.
Marcus Rashford, Antony, Jadon Sancho, Victor Lindelof, Christian Eriksen, Alejandro Garnacho and even Rasmus Hojlund could leave, making way for a mix of youth and hard-working talent that Amorim sees leading Manchester United back to the top. One day, that is.
Amorim proved at Sporting that he needed time; just look at what he delivered. Ask Islam Slimani how ruthless the 40-year-old can be: if he doesn’t like you, no hesitation. You are out the door.
Principles of keeping a good dressing room morale are key to his mantras of success, but with his recent comments sounding alarm bells, it seems the former Braga man knows it is all or nothing this summer. If that fails, he is prepared to walk away.
“We need to be really strong in the summer and to be brave because we will not have a next season like this,” he said after the 2-0 defeat to West Ham. “If we start like this, if the feeling is still here, we should give the space to different people.”
Amorim is right to say those things, it is now or never for Manchester United. But with the need to get it right now more crucial than ever, who knows how things will start in 2025/26 for the biggest club in world football?
Boy, do they need it this time around…
