Ruben Amorim has been dismissed as Manchester United head coach, becoming the seventh permanent manager to leave since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. His departure, confirmed on Monday, followed a period of mounting discontent and poor results.
Amorim's exit was triggered by cryptic comments after Sunday's 1-1 draw at Leeds, where he insisted he was the club's 'manager' not 'coach', hinting at frustration over recruitment. He stated: 'I'm going to be the manager of this team, not the coach... That is my job – not to be the coach.' The remarks were seen as a veiled criticism of the club's structure, particularly director of football Jason Wilcox.
Despite a brief upturn in October with three consecutive wins, United have won only three of 11 Premier League games since. Amorim, who initially refused to deviate from his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation, recently switched to a back four, raising questions about his tactical rigidity. The club spent over £430m on transfers under his tenure but recouped only £165m, leaving limited funds for a successor.
United now languish in 15th place, having finished eighth last season, and missed out on Champions League football. The search for a new manager will need to address whether to continue Amorim's system or start afresh, with Oliver Glasner among potential candidates.
