Inside Man Utd's Breaking Point: The Moment They Pulled the Trigger on Ruben Amorim
Manchester United had made the decision to dismiss manager Ruben Amorim prior to his public criticism of his position at the club, according to a new report.
Amorim was relieved of his duties on Monday morning, fewer than 24 hours following a 1–1 stalemate with Leeds United that initially seemed to influence the choice.
During a post-game media session, Amorim dismissed his official job designation and called upon both the recruitment team and sporting director to "fulfill their responsibilities," which certainly felt like the start of his downfall, especially considering Enzo Maresca suffered a similar fate at Chelsea under comparable conditions just days before.
The Telegraph reveals, though, that United had already made up their minds to dismiss Amorim before his remarkable tirade, and even prior to kickoff at Elland Road.
The report suggests sporting director Jason Wilcox conducted a pre-match meeting with Amorim that rapidly deteriorated. Discussions regarding the squad's approach caused Amorim to "explode" and Wilcox departed the meeting certain that their working relationship could not be salvaged.
United eventually backed Wilcox, considering Amorim's poor results, and made preparations to terminate the manager's contract.
Amorim Unable to Weather Final Warning
When Amorim told reporters of his desire to be United's manager, instead of the head coach designation he officially held, it became evident that he was no longer content with his position.
Managers typically have broader influence across all club operations, including player acquisitions, while the contemporary concept of a head coach involves someone focused on tactical matters and expected to work within the framework established by senior management.
Amorim had consistently criticized the club's transfer policy in an obvious effort to pressure United, and club leadership ultimately refused to alter their approach. With such a significant rift, Amorim's tenure quickly became unsustainable.
Former United forward Wayne Rooney, who had previously doubted Amorim's fit for the club, was among those who criticized his choice to publicly attack his superiors.
"I believe you must prove yourself to gain the authority to control exactly what occurs at a football club, particularly one like Manchester United," Rooney stated on his eponymous program before Amorim's exit was confirmed. "If [Pep] Guardiola joined United for example, I don't believe anyone would challenge which players he wants to sign, or the formation.
"I sympathize with [Amorim] somewhat because the roster isn't strong enough, the players available to him are young academy prospects—it's wonderful to see them included, but are they prepared at this stage? It's extremely challenging to field young players when the team is struggling, so I have some compassion for him.
"However, he's not Pep Guardiola or Jürgen Klopp. He lacks that track record or experience, so I don't believe he should be speaking with such conviction about his role and I find his statements very puzzling to me."