Ruben Amorim was sacked by Manchester United less than 24 hours after his explosive post-match press conference following the 1-1 draw at Leeds United. The Portuguese manager, who had been in charge for 14 months without a trophy, used the media briefing to publicly criticise the club's recruitment structure and demand more control.
Speaking at Elland Road after Matheus Cunha had salvaged a point for his side, Amorim appeared composed initially. But when asked about assurances regarding his role, he launched into a tirade: 'I just want to say that I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach. Every department, the scouting department, the sporting director, needs to do their job. I will do mine for 18 months and then we will watch.'
The outburst singled out sporting director Jason Wilcox and revealed a power struggle behind the scenes. Journalists in the room were stunned, recognising the comments as a direct challenge to co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe's authority. It echoed the behaviour of former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who had similarly complained about transfer control before his dismissal.
Amorim's remarks came from a position of weakness. His team had endured their worst Premier League campaign in history, and he had lost the faith of the board. Ratcliffe, who had grown impatient with the club's direction, acted swiftly, sacking the manager within a day.
Leeds United's stadium had seen similar candour before, with Mohamed Salah using a press conference there to criticise Liverpool's management. But for Amorim, it proved the final nail in his coffin. His desire for more control over recruitment ultimately cost him his job.
