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Manchester United center back Harry Maguire expressed his strong belief that former manager Ruben Amorim will go on to have "an amazing career" and win "many, many football matches" at his next club, placing the blame for the Portuguese coach's struggles squarely on the players.
Amorim endured a turbulent 14-month spell at Old Trafford. United finished 15th last season after suffering defeat in the Europa League final against a Tottenham Hotspur side sitting just two positions below them in the Premier League standings. The current season got off to an embarrassing start with a Carabao Cup exit at the hands of fourth-tier Grimsby Town, and Amorim's time at the club concluded with a passionate outburst directed at United's recruitment team.
"I don't really have much bad to say about Ruben," Maguire stated in an interview with The Guardian nearly three months after his sacking.
"I really like Ruben, he's got great ideas. The ideas just didn't work at Manchester United. I do believe he'll go on and have an amazing career, and at his next club he'll probably go and win many, many football matches."
Maguire Blames Players for Amorim Disaster
One of the central issues during Amorim's disappointing United tenure was his unwavering commitment to the 3-4-2-1 formation. While that same system had driven his remarkable success at Sporting CP, it never appeared to be a natural fit for the Manchester United squad he took charge of. "It just didn't click," Maguire acknowledged, though he stopped short of attributing that to the manager's inflexibility.
"Us, as players, have got to take a lot of responsibility for that as well," the center back stated. "He has led the club in a direction and I do think he deserves a lot of credit for that, where he's built a good, solid squad."
Nevertheless, Maguire acknowledged that Michael Carrick's shift to a 4-2-3-1 has clearly made a positive difference. "The change of manager happened and that has helped with the form of the club and the formation we play," the England international said. "It [going to a four] has had a part to play. It must have because the results before weren't good enough."
"I feel like it has been a great transition," Maguire added. "Credit to Michael and his staff for making it so smooth."
'We Need'—Maguire Makes 'Big' Transfer Prediction for Man Utd
While it remains unclear whether Carrick will still be in charge come the summer, Maguire is firmly backing his fellow Englishman. "We've got to finish strong and I think he should go right into the mix of the other candidates [for the permanent job] and let the process begin," the 33-year-old said. "I'm sure it will do and I'm sure it's going to be a thorough process."
Whoever occupies the dugout in August will have a strengthened squad to work with. "It's going to be a big summer," Maguire forecast. "We need bodies in, bodies to help the squad. We know that. We need improvement in the squad. It's going to be a big recruitment in the management department and I'm sure that the hierarchy will get it right."
Maguire looks set to be among the most experienced voices welcoming new arrivals to the club. Without explicitly confirming reports of a contract extension, the veteran defender dropped a strong hint that a new deal is on the way. "What the agreement is, I'm sure you'll find out over the next few weeks," he said. "I think it will, it should, get sorted pretty soon."