Alan Shearer has accused Manchester United's hierarchy of making an "absolute mess" of key decisions since Sir Jim Ratcliffe became a minority shareholder, following the sacking of head coach Ruben Amorim. The former England striker said the club's owners, including Ratcliffe, sporting director Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada, must accept their share of the blame for the club's continued struggles.
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Shearer listed seven errors he believes have undermined United's progress, including handing Erik ten Hag a new deal, sacking him, hiring and then dismissing Dan Ashworth, and appointing Amorim only to sack him 14 months later. He said the decision-making has been "an absolute joke" and that those at the top have failed at every turn.
Amorim was dismissed less than a day after a fiery press conference following the draw with Leeds United, in which he criticised pundits and told Wilcox to carry out his role. Shearer said there was "no way back" for Amorim after publicly attacking his superiors, but insisted the problems at Old Trafford go far beyond the Portuguese coach.
Micah Richards, former Manchester City defender, agreed Amorim's position had become untenable but questioned the timing of the decision. He pointed to United's proximity to the Champions League places, the January transfer window, and players returning from injury and international duty as reasons to have waited. He also expressed confusion over the club's overall plan, noting that the same decision-makers appear not to know what they are doing.
Both pundits suggested the club lacks a coherent strategy, with Richards highlighting the reported links to former managers such as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Thomas Tuchel. The criticism adds to growing pressure on United's leadership to deliver a clear direction after another turbulent season.
