Ruben Amorim took on the job as Man Utd head coach in the middle of the season when he had wanted to take over this summer.
Ruben Amorim believes the six months of turbulence he has experienced at Manchester United will be the making of his Old Trafford reign, but he expects supporters to give him a tougher time if results don’t pick up early next season.
The 40-year-old asked to take over this summer when United executives initially sounded him out about replacing Erik ten Hag in November, only to be told it was now or never if he wanted the job.
Amorim’s desire to wait has looked a sensible approach since his appointment, with United winning just six of his 22 Premier League games in charge and at one point flirting with a relegation battle. They haven’t won back-to-back games all season in the league and are on a four-game winless run, which includes three defeats.
But Europe has offered Amorim some salvation and this week all eyes are on Thursday’s trip to Bilbao to face Athletic Club in the Europa League semi-final first leg, rather than Sunday’s domestic duty at the Vitality Stadium against Bournemouth.
Despite the difficulties he has endured in trying to implement his methods on a set of players not particularly suited to his game plan, Amorim has no regrets about taking the job when the call came and now actually believes he will one day look back on this period as beneficial.
“No regrets, not in this moment,” he said. “If you had asked me four months ago, with all the problems, maybe I would have felt stronger about starting at the beginning of the season.
“But today, I have a feeling that this is something that is going to help us in the future. We are suffering a lot here. There’s a lot of frustration because of the suffering.
“But I feel that in this moment, maybe because it’s near the end (of the season), this is the most important time for the next few years.
“We are going to use all the information to prepare better for the next few years.”
Watch Bournemouth vs Man United with discounted Sky Sports Premier League package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £192 and includes more than 1,000 live matches each season across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Amorim’s reputation has been dented by his early months at United, although his standing amongst supporters remains as high as ever. He has been criticised for stubbornly sticking to his 3-4-2-1 system when it hasn’t worked well with the squad he inherited.
Although the former Sporting coach has defended his desire to play that way, he admits he can have no comeback to those who have questioned his methods.
“I have nothing to say. I don’t like to defend myself and I cannot defend myself with the results [that we’ve had], he said. They say I have one idea how to play. People say I have one system but in that I can see ways that can adapt into different systems.
“I know it’s tough. I know it’s different. But I have nothing to say to the critics because if you look at the results they are right.
“I will let the results in the future speak for me.”
United fans have certainly spoken for Amorim and expressed their admiration for him. In recent months, a chant to Bonnie Tyler’s ‘It’s a Heartache’ has been heard at games, with supporters uttering the line ‘Ruben Amorim, he’ll bring the glory days again’.
The man himself is thrilled by the support, but is also aware that patience will wear thin if results don’t pick up next season.
“I think that is special – but I also know that people understand what we are trying to do,” he said.
“But I also know that this moment, without results and sometimes without performances, the support of the fans will finish next season.
“I really appreciate that but I also know that in the future it will finish if we don’t get results.”
2025-04-26 21:30:00
