Ruben Amorim has been sacked by Manchester United after a sensational rant to the press, but director of football Jason Wilcox appears to have played a significant role in his resignation
Wilcox’s comments about his role infuriated Amorim (Image: Getty Images)
Manchester United manager Jason Wilcox pushed Ruben Amorim towards the exit door, likening his job to that of a manager. The Portuguese coach was sacked earlier this month after a disappointing year and a half in charge.
While the result certainly played a role in Amorim’s downfall at Old Trafford, other aspects also appear to have contributed to the decision to sack the former Sporting Lisbon manager. His relationship with director of football Wilcox has soured and it has been suggested that one comment in particular irritated Amorim.
According to The Sun, the former Southampton manager compared his role to that of a manager at Old Trafford and suggested Amorim was just a coach. It is unclear whether Wilcox informed the former United manager directly or whether he was simply informed.
But in any case, the comment left Amorim furious and he sought to clarify his role in the bizarre rant following the draw with Leeds. He said: “I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach of Manchester United.
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“It’s clear. I know my name is not[Thomas]Tuchel,[Antonio]Conte or[Jose]Mourinho, but I am Manchester United manager.
“And this situation is going to continue for 18 months, or until the board decides to make a change. That’s what I was saying. I want to be done with this. I’m not going to quit. I’m going to do my job until someone else comes here to replace me.”
“I just want to say, I’m not just going to be a coach, I’m going to be the manager of this team. I’ve made that very clear, but it’s going to be over in 18 months and then we’re all going to move on.”
Ruben Amorim has been sacked by Man United following a falling out with Jason Wilcox (Image: Getty Images)
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“That’s the deal, that’s my job. I’m not here to be a coach. If people can’t stand the criticism of Gary Nevils and everything, then you need to change clubs. I just want to say that I came here not to be a coach, but to be a manager.”
“In any department, the scouting department, the athletic director, they have to do their job. I’m going to do my job for 18 months and then take the next step.”
Wilcox has been at United since April 2024, having joined the club from Southampton as technical director. He was promoted to director of football last year but has since drawn criticism for his role in running the club.
Meanwhile, United leaders will continue to search for Amorim’s replacement. An interim appointment appears to be the most likely cause for action – Ole Gunnar Solskjær is in talks to land the role.
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