Ruben Amorim has admitted he made "a lot of mistakes" during his time in charge of Manchester United. Amorim was sacked in January amid rising tensions with United's board. He called out the club's decision-makers when he spoke to the media after facing Leeds at Elland Road, suggesting others should focus on their jobs.
Worst Record in United History
In the Premier League, Amorim had the worst win ratio (32 per cent), the worst goals conceded per game ratio (1.53) and the lowest clean sheet ratio (15 per cent) of any United manager in history.
However, he didn't spend long out of work, with AC Milan moving to appoint him last month. Milan are currently in Australia for pre-season and Amorim spoke to the media on that tour. He was asked about his mistakes at United and gave an honest account of his tenure.
Amorim's Reflection
"They [Milan] appointed me because they felt I was the right guy for the way I want to play," Amorim told Sky Italia. "They want to play the same way, but I think they signed me not just for my success, but also for my experience with a top club like Manchester United and the reflections I shared in our meetings with Mr Cardinale [Milan's owner].
"They understood that I was prepared for this job, not just because of my past success, but also because of my failures. I think it helped a lot in those meetings."
When asked what went wrong at United, Amorim said: "The first thing is that it doesn't matter anymore. That is the feeling. There's a history, then something happens, the context changes, and you focus on the next challenge.
"I learned a lot. It would be hard to point to one thing, but the important thing that I clearly know is that I made a lot of mistakes. When you do this kind of reflection, and you understand that it was not just their fault, but also my fault, I think you can be a better coach and a better man."
New Challenge at AC Milan
Amorim continued: "I was really honoured to be the manager of Man United at the time, but now I'm at Milan. I spoke with some people at the club, like Massaro and Baresi and we exchanged messages.
"That is the most important thing. To understand what kind of club I am and what the history of the club is. For me, it was easier this time, because I've been a Milan fan since I was a boy.
"I understand the culture of the club and their history. But that is the past. Our goal is to be the new future. They chose me for a reason, and one of the reasons is that I like to look at teams that are struggling.
"I know it's tough, but we want to rebuild something. We have many things in a good place. The staff is in a good place; the organisation is fantastic. If this is my final destination, I'll be pleased because it's a dream to coach this club."
Compensation and Appointment
United faced a hefty compensation bill of £15.9million to cover Amorim's departure, along with his staff, which included coaches Carlos Fernandes, Adelio Candido, Emanuel Ferro and Jorge Vital, but that figure was slashed when he was appointed by Milan.
Milan considered Andoni Iraola before his Liverpool appointment, while former Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner was also in the running, but Amorim won the race to be appointed at the San Siro.
