Football fans have ridiculed the antics of Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim during his side’s 2-0 defeat to Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
Amorim, 40, was bizarrely captured during Sky Sports’ broadcast of the encounter, shifting several small magnets on a tactics board in the dugout during the 62nd minute of the match.
While his workings on the touchline did lead to a Red Devils fightback courtesy of late goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire, United were eliminated 12-11 on penalties in what was one of the most unexpected results in the club’s history.
Reacting to the incident after it went viral on social media, several users scorned Amorim for his tactical workings.
Comedian Jonny Sharples posted a photoshopped picture of a Pokemon trading card album, joking that the Portuguese manager was more interested in card collecting than coaching his team.
In response, fans made several Pokemon references in reply as they derided Man United’s performance.
Football fans have ridiculed the antics of Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim during his side’s 2-0 defeat to Grimsby Town
Reacting to the incident after it went viral on social media, several users scorned Amorim for his tactical workings
One user quipped: ‘Someone should have told Onana he has to catch ‘em all’.
A second added: ‘Got himself a holographic Grimsby, very rare’.
Another remarked: ‘Probably worth more than the United squad’.
A further comment read: ‘Nah mixing his fire and water types so early in the folder, guy hasn’t got a clue’.
The trading card game based on the Pokemon franchise was originally published in Japan in 1996, before coming to the UK in 1999.
Since then, over 30 billion cards have been printed, with some rarer cards being sold by collectors for thousands of pounds.
Speaking after the loss, Amorim apologised to United fans for his side’s early exit, which realistically leaves them with only the FA Cup still to win this season – and the month of August not yet over.
Amorim said: ‘I just have to say sorry to our fans. The way we started the game, we were not even here.
Comedian Jonny Sharples posted a photoshopped picture of a Pokemon trading card album, joking that Amorim was more interested in card collecting than coaching his team
In response, fans made several Pokemon references in reply as they derided Man United ‘s performance
‘When everything is so important in our club, everything that happened, it’s a problem in our club, we should do so much better.
‘In the penalties, the feeling is the same. I think football was really fair today – the best team won.
‘It should be my job to understand what happened. Again, I’m really sorry for our fans.
‘The support that they have given me, always with all of the defeats they always help the team. Today I have nothing to say. I am really sorry. It’s too much sometimes.
‘I think the best team won, the only team that was on the pitch. The best players lose because one team can win against any group of players, and I think the team and the players spoke really loud today, so that’s it.’
