After the sacking of Ruben Amorim, Manchester United have had 10 permanent or interim coaches since Alex Ferguson – their most successful ever – retired in 2013, and must once again search for someone who can right the ship, and restore them to their former glories. Manchester United’s sacking of Ruben Amorim marks the culmination of the latest failed chapter in the club’s post-Alex Ferguson story, this one defined by public barbs, stubborn tactics and utterly dismal form. The Portuguese coach, hired in November 2024 to replace Erik ten Hag, frequently sparred with pundits and hinted at a power struggle with senior figures within the club when he repeatedly defended his defensive strategy after appalling initial league performances that marginally improved this season.
The latest in a long line of managers who have tried and failed to bring back the good times that flowed under Ferguson, Amorim had hinted for a couple of weeks that he was not pleased with the level of interference from United’s board. Sunday’s explosive press conference following their 1-1 draw with Leeds United, in which he even name-checked pundit Gary Neville, appeared to be the final straw. “If people cannot handle the Gary Nevilles and the criticisms of everything, we need to change the club,” Amorim said.
“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.” Neville responded by comparing it to former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca’s similarly cryptic complaint, that led to the Italian leaving on New Year’s Day, suggesting Amorim was playing a dangerous game and signalling unrest within Old Trafford’s power structures, saying the comments “are never usually good”. From the outset, Amorim stood squarely behind his trademark back three system of either 3-4-3 or a slight variation of 3-4-2-1.
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Senior figures, including director of football Jason Wilcox, reportedly urged tactical flexibility but Amorim remained unmoved until finally in late December, he briefly shifted to a back four, partly due to the mounting pressure, poor results, player injuries and international absences for the Africa Cup of Nations. In a comment last week about the transfer window, he said his 3-4-3 formation would not work unless the club spent “a lot of money”. Many expected Amorim to be sacked after last season.
Their 15th‑place league finish with 42 points was their lowest in more than 50 years and worst since the 1973-74 relegation season. Their ugly loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final in May prompted another outburst, in which Amorim told reporters he would leave “without compensation” if the club’s board felt he was not right for the job.
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