Wayne Rooney has admitted that he has ‘no faith’ in Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim and claimed that he no longer recognises the club where he reached the apex of his career, in new comments made in the wake of another difficult defeat against Brentford on Saturday afternoon.
The Red Devils have endured another dismal start to the season under the beleaguered Portuguese manager, claiming just two Premier League wins – against newly promoted Burnley, and 10-man Chelsea.
The team are also forced to have full focus on the league, after having been knocked out of the Carabao Cup in their first match of the campaign by League Two strugglers Grimsby.
Amorim has been dogged in his belief that his tactical philosophy is not the problem at Old Trafford, with the 40-year-old declaring that ‘not even the Pope’ could get him to change his managerial ways.
But as Amorim has dug in his heels, there has been no reversal in the club’s fortunes after last season’s woeful 15th-place finish – despite the manager having enjoyed a full pre-season and a raft of summer signings to burnish his squad.
As a result, Rooney confessed, he cannot see a way for Amorim to turn things around in Manchester.
Wayne Rooney has revealed that he has no faith in Ruben Amorim transforming Manchester United’s flagging fortunes
The team slumped to yet another defeat this season against Brentford on Saturday afternoon
‘It’s just not good enough, from the managers, the coaches, from the players, it’s not good enough,’ Rooney said on The Wayne Rooney Show. ‘I don’t know what’s going on.
‘I’ve tried my hand at management, and it didn’t work out too well, so I get it,’ the former Derby County and Birmingham City manager added.
‘Ruben Amorim is my age, a bit younger, he’s still a young manager. I’m sure he has a great future. But what is going on at Man United? I don’t recognise the whole football club.
‘I honestly hope he can turn it round and he does. But if you’re saying to me, ‘do you believe he will?’, then, after everything I’ve seen, honestly, I’ve got no faith in it.’
But the former Premier League icon did not stop there, instead sharing the blame over the team’s fortunes with some of the players.
‘I don’t see players fighting, I don’t see character, I don’t see a desire to win, I don’t see ability, I don’t see match winners, nothing that gets me off my feet,’ he continued.
‘I go to watch the team and think, ‘here we go again. we’re going to lose, or maybe nick a point’. This is not Man United.’
Rooney revealed that he had gone back and forth with himself about whether to share his feelings publicly due to the scrutiny they would place on Amorim, but revealed that he felt he ‘needed to’ because of how much he cares about the club.
The former Man United star shared that he no longer recognises the club he played for
Rooney is one of a number of former Man United players who are shocked by the club’s recent results under Amorim
‘This isn’t all from management,’ Rooney added. ‘I’m seeing players, they don’t deserve to wear the shirt, and it hurts. when you have played for the club and care about it, this is not acceptable what is going on.
‘Man United haven’t won back to back games (since January). I think there needs to be a clear message from the owners, whether that’s the Glazers, or that’s (Jim) Ratcliffe, there needs to be a clear message on where the club is going, because at the minute, we’re all sitting here waiting for it to crumble.
‘It’s not even just results on the pitch. It’s everything about the club that needs fixing – Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos have walked into a real challenge.
‘We’re seeing staff members getting sacked after 20, 30 years who are very important people to that football club.
‘The soul has gone from the club. It needs a new engine, a new lease of life. It needs something to kickstart that football club.’
Amorim for his part said that he had full faith in himself staying in the job despite the disappointing results after the final whistle at the Gtech Stadium.
‘I am always comfortable with the job,’ he stressed. ‘I am not concerned, it is not my decision.
‘I will do the best I can every minute I am here. I am never concerned about my job, I am not that kind of guy.
The Portuguese head coach continues to dig in his heels over his tactical philosophy and his determination to play his way
‘I’m always doing my job. If I win, I’m in a different state of mind. That is normal, but I’m always confident because I know what to do. I’ve always taken a lot of responsibility on your own shoulders.
‘We can play better and we need to play better. It’s like ups and downs. When you win, you feel that everything, the momentum is here. When you lose, you go back to the same place and you fight again for one win that can help you to create the momentum.
‘I cannot tell you more than I say every time I lose the game. Sometimes you see one team that performs really well and you see improvements. And then sometimes you have some games that you don’t see that improvement.’
Daily Mail Sport confirmed on Sunday that Amorim continues to enjoy the full backing of Ratcliffe, with the Ineos billionaire believing that the head coach needs time to bed in his new players after spending more than £214million in the last transfer window.
