Ruben Amorim’s time at Manchester United ended due to a strained relationship with the club’s leadership. According to Telegraph reporter Sam Wallace, both sides could not agree on strategies. While the board pushed for change, Amorim was firm on his preferred 3-4-3 formation.
The argument against it
United’s poor performance isn’t solely Amorim’s fault. The club has been declining for over a decade. Interestingly, Amorim’s approach showed promise; his team lost only one of their eight Premier League matches during the festive season, placing them on par with third-placed Aston Villa.
The club’s owners supported Amorim as they aimed to restore the club’s past success.
“We have to be patient and we have a long-term plan. It isn’t a light switch,” said United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe upon Amorim’s hiring, according to the Telegraph. “I would say Ruben, he needs to go and demonstrate that he is a great coach over three years.”
However, Ratcliffe and the other owners gave Amorim less than half of that planned three-year period. Their quick decision against him reflects the kind of reactive approach they had previously opposed, leaving United in a challenging situation for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
Darren Fletcher is named as United’s interim coach, but the club will not look for a full-time replacement until summer. This absence of key leadership during the January transfer window will complicate the hiring of a new coach.
The one key takeaway
Regardless of the perspective on the United-Amorim situation, it definitely portrays United’s leadership in a negative light.
When Ratcliffe and INEOS joined United as minority shareholders in early 2024, they promised a data-driven shift in the club. However, this transformation has not happened. The Athletic reported that after a year under INEOS, the club failed to engage with top data platforms, leading to impulsive decision-making by club leaders. There has been a noticeable gap between their promises and their actual practices.
The way the club managed Amorim highlights this issue. It seems they wanted a coach who would easily adapt, but Amorim was known for his strong opinions even before joining United. This situation raises the question: if United was not interested in a structured tactical approach, why hire one of Europe’s system-focused coaches in the first place?
For now, the club needs to turn its attention to the upcoming Premier League match against Burnley on Wednesday, January 7.
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