For a man whose first language isn’t English, Ruben Amorim has certainly mastered the art of straight talking since landing at Manchester United.
Amorim has built quite the reputation at Old Trafford for telling it how it is during his brief but bumpy 70-day tenure as the club’s new head coach.
His early warning that ‘the storm is coming’ proved both prophetic and popular among the headline writers.
Since then, he has not hidden from the fact that mighty Manchester United are facing an embarrassing relegation battle and his own job could be in jeopardy if results don’t improve — despite having only just moved out of the Lowry Hotel and into temporary accommodation with his family.
Earlier this month, he admitted that his players are sometimes ‘afraid’ on the pitch. Even by his standards, though, Amorim’s tone after Sunday’s home 3-1 defeat by Brighton was strong in the extreme.
‘We are the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United,’ said the 39-year-old before telling reporters looking for a headline that they had got their wish.
Ruben Amorim labelled his Manchester United side as the ‘worst team in the club’s history’
The Portuguese boss has not hidden from his side’s struggles since he took charge
In terms of dramatic effect, it was right up there with Ralf Rangnick saying United’s squad was in need of open-heart surgery, a comment that still resonates nearly three years on.
It is a high-stakes strategy from Amorim and one that is presumably aimed at jolting his players out of their lethargy and getting a reaction.
There was no shortage of ex-pros offering up the opinion yesterday that his words won’t go down well in the dressing room. Only time will tell if it has the desired effect or backfires in Amorim’s face, but the early signs yesterday were promising.
The players seem to be taking their share of responsibility for the club’s predicament. After all, it’s not as though the problems only started after Amorim walked through the door in November.
Overall, there is an appreciation of his honesty and the direct approach he has brought to the club. It was also noted after the defeat by Brighton that the Portuguese had reached his lowest point yet at United.
‘Not angry, just very, very sad,’ said one dressing-room source, ‘No one had seen him like that before and the players noticed it. They know it’s not his fault.’
Amorim’s demeanour wasn’t much brighter by the time he faced the media. ‘In 10 games in the Premier League, we won two. I know that,’ he said. ‘Imagine what this is for a fan of Manchester United? Imagine what this is for me? We are getting a new coach who is losing more than the last coach.’
It’s what Amorim said next that got less attention than his comment about his team being the worst in United’s history.
Amorim’s men have picked up just 11 points in the 11 games that Ruben Amorim has overseen
The defeat at home to Brighton confirmed United’s worst start to a season at home in 131 years
‘I am not going to change, no matter what,’ he added. ‘So that’s why I’m telling we are going to suffer because I will continue to do the same.’
Once again it was a high-risk approach, this time with employers who didn’t think twice about jettisoning one of the men who brought him to Old Trafford, sporting director Dan Ashworth, after 159 days in the job.
With United in 13th place in the Premier League, you couldn’t blame Sir Jim Ratcliffe for getting a bit twitchy when the captain of a ship in such choppy seas insists it’s full steam ahead.
Fortunately, Ineos know a thing or two about yachting and all the indications from United’s hierarchy yesterday were that they continue to have faith in Amorim’s Plan A.
In fact, sources suggested United would be more alarmed if their coach was to perform a sudden U-turn and ditch the 3-4-3 philosophy that was his trademark at Sporting Lisbon and continues to be his modus operandi.
There is an appreciation among the club hierarchy that it’s not the system to blame so much as individual mistakes and some players lacking the basics in terms of effort and application.
‘The formation was fine at Anfield and the Emirates,’ said one insider in reference to United’s impressive draw at leaders Liverpool and penalty shootout win over Arsenal in the FA Cup.
No one in the corridors of power at Old Trafford was getting carried away by those results, nor was there any great shock when United narrowly avoided an embarrassing defeat at home by Southampton and were outplayed again by Brighton.
With United in 13th place, you couldn’t blame Sir Jim Ratcliffe for getting a bit twitchy
The Red Devils sit 13th in the table after winning just seven out of their 22 league outings
Take the rough with the smooth and all that. As long as United show some improvement and begin moving up the table soon, there won’t be a problem. In the meantime, there is an understanding that Amorim is trying to develop a new mentality in how the team train and play.
Sunday wasn’t the first time the United boss has insisted he will not bend in his beliefs. Some would argue that it was a huge risk to change tactics mid-season with a group of players used to a different method under Erik ten Hag, but he is said to be frustrated that the system is being blamed for United’s failings.
United’s chief executive Omar Berrada witnessed first-hand Pep Guardiola’s teething problems at Manchester City, and it is hoped that short-term pain will bring long-term gain for Amorim.
As for his choice of words at the weekend, no one is inclined to tell him to rein it in. It seems we haven’t heard the last of Amorim’s home truths.
