Ruben Amorim Explodes in Fiery Outburst, Declares Total Control Over Man Utd's Destiny
Ruben Amorim provided another memorable press conference on Sunday afternoon.
After maintaining his composure during the initial five minutes of his post-match analysis following the 1–1 stalemate with Leeds United at Elland Road, Amorim unleashed a remarkable tirade about his role at Manchester United, consistently referring to himself as "the manager" instead of "the coach" during a three-minute speech that mentioned José Mourinho and Gary Neville.
The hard-fought draw his team had secured against Leeds wasn't what triggered Amorim's frustration. In fact, he seemed content with the modest performance that was energized by his tactical changes, praising it as better than recent displays.
Benjamin Šeško's ongoing goal-scoring difficulties didn't even provoke criticism from the 40-year-old, who supported his summer signing after witnessing him extend his goalless streak to 11 consecutive matches.
Instead, it was United's transfer approach that infuriated Amorim. The Portuguese coach had managed to restrain himself on this topic before Sunday's match, merely suggesting disagreement with director of football Jason Wilcox rather than speaking openly when asked about his comments regarding limited January activity expectations. It seems he had been saving up these bold statements.
Amorim's Inaccurate Claims
The final question of Amorim's press conference at Elland Road directly asked the United boss whether he retained the board's support. "Guys, stop with that," he responded sharply. "I've observed that you're getting selective information about everything. I arrived here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach of Manchester United. And that is definitive."
However, it hasn't been that definitive.
Amorim was officially introduced by Manchester United on Nov. 1, 2024 as the club's inaugural "head coach of the men's first team." The designation "manager"—which had been applied to every previous permanent hire—was intentionally omitted.
Minority co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe had begun the meticulous process of implementing coherent strategy within the United structure, naming Jason Wilcox as technical director and Dan Ashworth as sporting director. This framework, which most contemporary clubs now follow, was established to prevent repeating the mistake of assembling new squads for each manager who then left a diverse collection of players for their replacement.
United managed to complicate things by quickly dismissing Ashworth and promoting Wilcox, but Amorim's place in the structure has stayed the same. Entering his third transfer window with the club, the head coach has begun questioning that arrangement.
"I understand that my reputation isn't [Thomas] Tuchel, isn't [Antonio] Conte, isn't Mourinho, but I'm the manager of Manchester United," he went on, strangely referencing the managers of England, Napoli and Benfica respectively, with only the last one connected to the Red Devils as a former leader. "And it will remain this way for 18 months or until the board decides to make a change. So that was my message. I want to conclude with that."
As many of the puzzled reporters present for this strange outburst wondered, 18 months from now (summer 2027) represents the conclusion of Amorim's current United deal. Nevertheless, the former Sporting CP manager has no plans to depart earlier.
'I Won't Resign'
Amorim has publicly entertained the notion of resigning from his position this season. However, that position seems to have been abandoned. "I won't resign," he stated firmly. "I will perform my duties until someone else arrives to take my place.
"I simply want to clarify that I will be the manager of this team, not merely the coach. And I was completely transparent about that. And that will conclude in 18 months. And then everyone will proceed. That was the agreement. That is my responsibility, not to be a coach."
Gary Neville Gets Mentioned
Former Manchester United defender and notable analyst Gary Neville has shown conflicted opinions about Amorim during his time in charge. The ex-England player recently challenged the manager's approach after a frustrating 1–1 draw with Wolves which was obviously still bothering him. "If people can't cope with the Gary Nevilles and the criticism of everything, we must transform the club," he lamented.
When confronted with additional questions, Amorim cut in to say: "No, guys, I simply want to state that I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach.
"And every division, the scouting division, the sports director must fulfill their responsibilities. I will fulfill mine for 18 months and then we proceed."