Christian Eriksen Unleashes Scathing Attack on Ruben Amorim Over Explosive Public Meltdown
Christian Eriksen criticized Ruben Amorim's choice to call Manchester United the "worst team in the history of the club" as "not too clever" in a frank criticism of the Portuguese manager.
The 33-year-old midfielder spent three seasons at Old Trafford before his release during the summer when his contract expired, claiming an FA Cup and Carabao Cup under Erik ten Hag's leadership.
Ten Hag was dismissed following a poor beginning to the 2024–25 season, and Amorim was persuaded to depart Sporting CP during the campaign to assume managerial duties. However, instead of enhancing and steadying the atmosphere at the club, Amorim adopted an uncompromising approach to tactics and media relations—frequently being blunt with his statements even when it meant criticizing his players publicly.
During one outburst in January, Amorim went so far as to claim that the group of players he was managing were the poorest to ever wear a Manchester United jersey. Predictably, this didn't sit well with United's squad and with Eriksen, who now plays for VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga as he approaches the end of his career.
Eriksen: Some Things Should Stay in the Dressing Room
"That was unhelpful," Eriksen shared with The Times regarding Amorim's comment. "Yes, that was completely unhelpful. I mean, that wasn't... I don't believe that assisted the players whatsoever. Certain things you can express privately and it's unwise to voice publicly, adding unnecessary pressure and placing an additional burden on players who were already giving their maximum effort.
"I don't believe that was beneficial at all, no. Whether he's correct or incorrect, regardless, but I think for us it felt like, 'Oh, here we go once more. Another controversy.' "
Eriksen added: "He arrived with his concepts. He attempted to modify things as you continue to observe, tried to implement his vision. Specific players for particular positions, for a distinct playing style, that's his view of success. He must alter significantly because the players weren't accustomed to that formation. Additionally, traditionally, United always preferred a different approach.
"And yes, he's been extremely direct and also, yes, straightforward with me from the start. Extremely, extremely, extremely direct, I would say."
Instant Comparisions Do Not Help Current Players
United's deterioration has been a significant discussion point in English football throughout the last ten years. Last winning the Premier League title in 2013 during Sir Alex Ferguson's farewell season as manager, the Red Devils continue to be the focus of attention for many, curious about when the club will reclaim their past success.
Eriksen highlighted the psychological impact on current players caused by continuous comparisons to former legends, particularly on younger players who are attempting to establish themselves in an environment accustomed to winning for two decades.
"The primary issue at United is simply the expectation of how you must perform and how you must conduct yourself as a player, because everything you accomplish is measured against those who came before," he explained. So any role, you'll hear, 'Oh yes, now we have Casemiro but you must compare him to Roy Keane,' or, 'We had [Robin] van Persie here, so this forward now must be capable of this.'
"So everything at United is like immediately when you put on the jersey, you carry all that legacy with you, you must live up to what existed before and transform that or improve it, which, naturally, is nearly impossible when you claim [the championship] eight out of 11 seasons in the Premier League.
"So that creates enormous pressure on the players and then, clearly, when you find yourself in a situation where you replace numerous managers, numerous structures, then yes, it's challenging as a player to truly flourish."