The departure of Ruben Amorim from Manchester United this week was met with a surprising sight: a smile on the sacked manager's face as he left the club's Carrington training ground. According to sources close to the situation, that smile spoke of relief from a crushing burden, not disappointment at a failed project.
A Dysfunctional Regime from the Top Down
The source of that burden, it is claimed, is the deeply flawed leadership structure above him. Since Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS purchased a stake in the club nearly two years ago, the dysfunction at Old Trafford has only intensified. While managers like Amorim are publicly held accountable for poor results, the executives making catastrophic decisions remain shielded from scrutiny.
The focus falls squarely on chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox. In a damning indictment of their strategy, this pair oversaw a £300 million spending spree under previous manager Erik ten Hag, only to sack the Dutchman a few months later. The regime's volatility was further highlighted by the hiring and firing of sporting director Dan Ashworth within just six months, reportedly because his advice was ignored.
A Manager Refusing to be a Puppet
Amorim's appointment in 2025 came after a failed pursuit of Thomas Tuchel. The Portuguese coach, favouring a 3-4-3 system, was never provided with the squad to execute it effectively. His tenure lasted just 14 months, punctuated by humiliating results like a loss to Grimsby Town.
However, insiders suggest the final straw was not results, but a fundamental power struggle. Amorim was reportedly sacked after refusing to become a mere puppet for Wilcox, Berrada, and Ratcliffe. His furious post-match rant at Elland Road is understood to have been a direct attack on this trio's interference, a rare public airing of the club's internal chaos.
The Staggering Cost of Incompetence
The financial recklessness sanctioned by United's decision-makers is staggering. Beyond the millions wasted on managerial compensation, the club has committed vast sums to questionable player acquisitions. Signings like Joshua Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte, and Benjamin Sesko have failed to justify their fees, contributing to a bloated, unbalanced squad.
This cycle of waste and failure perpetuates a simple truth: until those in the boardroom are held as accountable as those in the dugout, Manchester United's decline will continue. The club is not a quick fix, and the smiling departure of Ruben Amorim is the clearest signal yet that the problem was never solely the manager, but the puppet masters pulling the strings.
