Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves told TNT Sports he was “surprised” by the sacking of Ruben Amorim and called for club executives to take some responsibility.
The Red Devils have not been able to find consistency under Amorim since he took over last year following the sacking of Erik ten Hag.
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A defiant Amorim goes into battle: “I’m the manager, not the coach.”
Video credit: SNTV
Speaking exclusively to TNT Sports, former United player Hargreaves said he was confused by the timing of the decision.
“I was surprised, and I think everyone was surprised by the decision to dismiss Mr. Amorim,” he said. “United weren’t playing particularly well, but they were still in a realistic position to finish in the top four or five.
“At Chelsea, it seems like there were a lot of cooks in the kitchen, but even though a lot of people have opinions, they can’t all agree. I think the same thing happened with Leuven and United. That’s why communication is so important.”
“I feel sorry for him, for the club and for the fans. At the end of the day, everyone is just trying to do their best. Ruben ran a huge club in Portugal and had great success, so everyone was excited about what he could create here.”
“Unfortunately, it didn’t happen the way he had envisioned. I think his level of communication was great and I think if anything he shared too much and communicated too much, but you can’t deny that he’s a top manager.
“He’s proven that, but Manchester United is a different league with bigger competition and expectations. Ruben will be fine in the future because he’s an incredible communicator, a smart guy and a gentleman, so hopefully he’ll have great success. He would have liked to have finished here, but he wasn’t meant to.”
“Owners need to take some responsibility.”
Amorim becomes the sixth permanent manager to leave Old Trafford since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
Darren Fletcher will take charge against Burnley on Wednesday, but reports suggest United will appoint an interim manager until the end of the season before appointing a permanent manager in the summer.
There are also claims that Mr Amorim was under pressure from senior management to tweak the 3-4-3 approach and that Mr Hargreaves had questioned the hierarchy over their role in the manager’s sacking.
“Everyone wants the best for the football club, but the problem is when you have a lot of cooks in the kitchen, a lot of people have different opinions,” he explained.
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“I’m disappointed we didn’t win” – Amorim reacts to hard-fought draw with Leeds
Video credit: TNT Sports
“Man United weren’t playing great, but they were still in a position to achieve their goals and could realistically qualify for the Champions League without playing European football this season.
“They had already invested a lot of money into the project, so I didn’t expect to be fired. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes that we can’t see, and I think the owners need to take some responsibility as well.”
“They were the ones who started Ruben and I don’t think it will be as easy as they thought to start again with a player who will probably play in the back four.
“The environment for managers is different now. But as a manager, I don’t agree with the idea of someone above you making decisions when you’re trying to do your job. People shouldn’t be telling other people how to do their job.”
“Ruben is hired to do his job and if he wants to play a certain way, you pick him that way and let him do it. If you want to get in the way, it doesn’t work and that’s probably what happened with Maresca at Chelsea.”
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‘He makes things happen’ – Hargreaves praises Zirkzee’s influence on Leeds draw
Video credit: TNT Sports
“United are one of the best football clubs in the world so I don’t think this will prevent them from recruiting the candidates they want, but what they have to think about is why are we here again?”
“They brought in big names in Louis van Gaal, David Moyes and Jose Mourinho as managers and then Ole Gunnar Solskjær was brought in emotionally. They brought in people like Erik ten Hag who have been successful elsewhere, so why doesn’t it work?
“United could probably get the best player, but why does this continue? Why do we continue to have problems with transfers? Once we know the answers to these questions, we will be able to buy the players we think are the best fit.
“United are still in a position to achieve their goals and could have progressed again in the summer. It’s been a tough week for the football club and I’m sorry to everyone.”
“People still think that if you get a new manager everything will be better, but there are so many variables that it just doesn’t work out that way. I just hope the club gets it right.”
“I hope Marcus comes back.”
Amorim also appears to have fallen out of favor with some sections of the fan base following deals for talented players from the club’s academy such as Marcus Rashford and Koby Mainu.
Rashford was loaned to Aston Villa last season and joined Barcelona on a season-long loan this season, but Mainu has struggled to feature during Amorim’s tenure.
Hargreaves believes Amorim’s departure could mean Rashford could return to the club and flourish at Old Trafford in the future.
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‘Special Attack’ – Rashford Lockett silences St James’ Park
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“I hope Marcus comes back because he’s a special player,” he said. “I don’t know what happened between Marcus and Ruben, but I don’t think anyone can deny his talent.
“I don’t think Marcus should have been in a position to carry all the burden. He would have been the third or fourth player in our team. Then he wouldn’t have had to carry all the responsibility, because a lot of responsibility would have been taken off his shoulders.”
“There was too much emphasis on young players to be the main players. They shouldn’t have been in that position at just 20 years old. They needed a striker between 26 and 28 years old. Then the young players could have learned the ropes like everyone at the club did before.”
“Marcus is a great talent and I think the club could use him. And with Coby, I think he will come right back into the team and the team will play in the back four.”
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