A defiant Amorim goes into battle: “I’m the manager, not the coach.”
Video credit: SNTV
United have announced that Darren Fletcher will take charge of the team for Wednesday’s Premier League game against Burnley.
The club has appointed an interim manager until the end of the season, and plans to appoint Amorim’s full-time replacement in the summer.
A statement released by the club on Monday morning said: “With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club’s leadership have reluctantly decided that the time is right to make a change.”
“This will give the team the best opportunity to achieve the best results in the Premier League.
“The club would like to thank Ruben for his contribution to the club and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
There is believed to have been a rift between Amorim and director of football Jason Wilcox behind the scenes. Amorim made incendiary comments following Sunday’s Leeds result, claiming he could “move on” after his contract ends in 18 months.
“That’s clear. I know my name is not (Thomas) Tuchel, (Jose) Mourinho or (Antonio) Conte, but I am the manager.
“This will continue for 18 months, or until the board decides to make a change. I’m not quitting. I’m going to work until someone else comes here to replace me.”
When asked about his transfer policy, Amorim said: “All departments need to do their job: the scouting department, the sporting director. I will do my job for 18 months and then take the next step.”
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A defiant Amorim goes into battle: “I’m the manager, not the coach.”
Video credit: SNTV
Amorim joined United in November 2024 after the club paid him around £9 million to hire him from Sporting, and his first game was a 1-1 draw with Ipswich.
With Sporting, he won the Primeira Liga title twice, in 2021 and 2024, and also won the Taca da Liga twice.
However, the Portuguese oversaw United’s lowest finish in the Premier League, finishing 15th with 42 points last season.
United also lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final in Bilbao, failing to win European football for the first time since 2014.
After spending big in the summer, which included signings such as Benjamin Sesko, Brian Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, Amorim failed to spark the resurgence the club needed.
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Ruben Amorim played his final game in charge of Manchester United at Elland Road on Sunday.
Image credit: Getty Images
United had another poor start to the season, winning just seven points from their first six league games.
Things were further complicated by an embarrassing Carabao Cup defeat at the hands of League Two side Grimsby Town in August.
However, United have shown some recovery and are currently in sixth place, three points behind fourth-placed Liverpool.
Amorim was regularly criticized for his tactical inflexibility during his time at the club, preferring a 3-4-3 set-up and although he found success at Sporting, he had little success at Old Trafford.
Amorim adopted a 4-2-3-1 in the 1-0 win against Newcastle United on 26 December, but reverted to a 3-4-3 four days later and played in a 1-1 draw with bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers.
United are currently searching for their seventh full-time manager since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down in 2013 to end his legendary 26-and-a-half-year tenure at the club.
David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Erik ten Hag and now Amorim have all been at the club’s helm over a generally difficult 13 years.
During that time, United won two FA Cups in 2016 and 2024, as well as two League Cups and the Europa League in 2017.
But compared to the riches under Ferguson (including 13 Premier League titles and two UEFA Champions League titles), it was a paltry choice.
