In late February 2014 at Karaiskakis Stadium, former Manchester United CEO Ed Woodward stepped forward from his seat to take a picture of the scoreboard. With Olympiacos leading the Red Devils 2-0 in the Champions League, Woodward decided that the image on his phone would serve as a reminder.
At that time, less than a year after legendary coach Sir Alex Ferguson left, the Old Trafford team had fallen into a terrible decline. And this will never be allowed to happen again.
It is 10 years since Woodward - who stepped down as United CEO in 2021 - took this photo. But rather than being a one-off incident, the night in Greece was one of many embarrassments and disappointments that have befallen United in the post-Ferguson era.
M.U still won a number of titles such as Europa League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup. However, Ferguson is still the last coach of Man United to win the Premier League and Champions League. David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag tried but failed.
Ruben Amorim is the latest man to be tasked with returning the club to its former glory. However, some fans are increasingly sceptical that the job is impossible. The demands and pressure are too great, while the Red Devils have fallen too far behind their domestic and international rivals.
Amorim was even asked about this in his first press conference before the 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town in the Premier League.
"Call me naive, but I really believe that I am the right person at the right time. I could be wrong but the earth will still turn, the sun will rise again, it doesn't matter, I don't worry about that. I really believe that I am the right person for this job" - said the Portuguese strategist.
United are keen to tone down the hype surrounding Amorim’s appointment, having learned the hard way from Ten Hag’s time in charge. However, there is hope that under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s new structure, backed by better transfer procedures, the 39-year-old can turn United around.
There is also an acceptance within United that the Premier League landscape has changed, meaning Amorim’s success is not about matching Ferguson’s trophies. Instead, he needs to create a team that can consistently compete at the highest level.
