Jamie Carragher has an unorthodox theory about why Ruben Amorim hasn’t been sacked by Man United despite his terrible record so far at Old Trafford.
The ex-Liverpool star suggested that Amorim’s charisma and charm, along with good looks are helping him cling onto power.
Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate brought to you by Sky Bet, Carragher said: ‘He’s great in the press conferences but because he’s not winning it’s like “shut up”.
‘Stop speaking, keep your mouth shut. If he was winning we’d all be saying, “what a character”.
‘There is now a big clamour to get Jose Mourinho back in English football and the reason is because he’s box office, he comes out with stuff, but he was a winner. We always remember Brian Clough – when I was a kid and he was speaking you’d listen because he was a winner.
‘I actually look at it and think if Amorim wasn’t so charismatic in the press conference, if he wasn’t such a good looking man, he might have actually lost his job a lot earlier. When you look at the results they are horrendous!’
Jamie Carragher thinks Ruben Amorim’s charisma might be keeping him in a job
The Man United boss is box office in front of the cameras but his record at the club is dreadful
United finished 15th in the Premier League last season, lost the Europa League final against Tottenham and have started the new campaign poorly.
An opening day home defeat by Arsenal followed by a draw on the road against Fulham was compounded by a nightmare Carabao Cup exit on penalties against minnows Grimsby Town.
At the weekend, it took a stoppage time penalty to help Amorim’s side squeak past newly-promoted Burnley at Old Trafford.
Amorim has led United to victory just 18 times in 46 matches and is under huge pressure to transform the club’s fortunes.
Amorim delivered an extraordinary interview after United were beaten by Grimsby Town, saying: ‘I think this is a little bit the limit. I think something has to change.
‘I think the team and the players spoke really loud today, so that’s it.I think the best team won, the only team that was on the pitch.
‘I think it’s really clear what they spoke, so let’s move on from this day. I think it was clear for everybody what happened today. The way we start the game without any intensity, we were completely lost.’
He later reflected: ‘To be really honest, every time that we have a defeat like that in the future I’m going to be like that. I’m going to say sometimes I hate my players and sometimes I love my players.
United have started the season poorly and were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Grimsby Town
‘Sometimes I want to quit, sometimes I want to be here for 20 years.
‘I need to improve on that, it’s going to be hard but now I’m focused on the next game.’
Amorim’s honesty in press conferences, while compelling viewing, has landed him in hot water before, notably when he described his United side as the worst in the club’s history.
But INEOS have backed their man and will be desperately hoping for signs of an upturn in fortunes.
Carragher went on to add that he thinks the quality of rival managers will mean it is difficult to see Amorim lasting long at United.
He continued: ‘Take Unai Emery and Eddie Howe. They’re not managers that are going for the league, but they are good managers.
‘To think this guy [Amorim] has got all the answers to get Manchester United back to the top when there are managers that aren’t even going for the league and are more experienced, there are a lot of better managers in the Premier League, and I think it’s going to be tough for him to turn it around.’
Amorim is not likely to last long in the job, according to Carragher, who pointed to the quality of other managers in the Premier League
Paul Scholes, also speaking on The Overlap brought to you by Sky Bet, believes his old side failed to fix some crucial areas of the team in the transfer window.
He said: ‘They haven’t addressed the areas that needed addressing. More goals were needed. He needed to address the midfield, the legs were never in there, the goalkeeper was a massive one.
‘He’s got four or five midfield players in there and he wants to play two of them. He can’t get it right, he can’t get the combination right.
‘Ugarte, Mainoo he doesn’t like, Casemiro he maybe doesn’t like, Casemiro and Fernandes is the one he seems to be going for a lot but that isn’t going to win you a Premier League. He doesn’t like Ugate.’
Now will be a time of reflection for Amorim and United over the course of the international break. When the players return to duty, United face the daunting task of the derby against Man City at the Etihad on September 14.
They then host Chelsea a week later in what could be a defining week for their manager.
