Ruben Amorim smashed a television in his dressing room after Manchester United’s disastrous defeat to Brighton in January, but it is understood his anger actually worked to his advantage. Things started to deteriorate just a few months after the Portuguese coach took over.
United had a tough December, losing five games, and January showed no improvement. Amorim’s problems worsened as Brighton won 3-1 at Old Trafford, with former player Danny Welbeck scoring and Andre Onana making another costly mistake. Unable to hide his anger, the Portuguese coach reached a boiling point after another embarrassing defeat at home, and continued to slam his team into a brutal dressingdown and slam into the TV.
But his explosive reaction resonated with several United players. According to the Telegraph, they expressed his dissatisfaction with their situation and were well aware of how much he cared, with some reportedly increasing their respect for the former Sporting manager.
It was on that Sunday afternoon that Amorim himself controversially suggested his team were “probably the worst” in the club’s 147-year history as they face a possible relegation battle. The United manager said: “Out of the last 10 Premier League games we’ve won two.
“Imagine what this means to Manchester United fans. Imagine what this means to me. We have a new coach who is losing more than the previous coach. I am fully aware of that. We are probably the worst team in Manchester United’s history.”
“I know you (the media) want the headlines, but I’m saying that because we have to acknowledge it and change it. Here’s your headline.”
Amorim’s frustration was evident when his team faced Everton in February, just a month after the Brighton debacle. He was invigorated after the first half when United were 2-0 up at Goodison Park.
He only briefly stopped in the changing room and then headed back. Amorim spent most of his 15-minute break wandering the hallway outside, his eyes fixed on the floor.
It was left to Darren Fletcher, then first-team coach, to convey the hard truth to the United squad. They managed to rally back and secure a 2-2 draw.
