In more than 10 years of turmoil after the Sir Alex Ferguson era, 2024 is perhaps the most turbulent year for Manchester United. From the team officially changing owners, then changing coaches in between, plans to build new stadiums and then overfloating debts,...
However, what fans see, hear and feel most clearly is the weekly results and scores and achievements on the rankings. After Fergie left office, Man United set another bad record every year. In more than 2 years in charge, Erik ten Hag has created countless records that Man United fans have never imagined.
At the end of the 2023-2024 season, the disappointment reached its peak for the "Red Devils" and their fans when the team only finished 8th in the Premier League. Throughout the tournament era since 1992, the Old Trafford team has never had such a bad end-of-season result. No tickets to the Champions League, Europa League and even the Conference League. For the first time in many years, Europe's top leagues no longer feel the breath of the "Red Devils".
When the disappointment reached its peak, the FA Cup final was seen as the only salvation for Ten Hag and his students. Because as long as they win, they will have the title and ticket to the Europa League. Before the match, when the opponent was Man City, rumors of Ten Hag being fired even though the result spread very quickly on social networks but was not extinguished by the Man United owners.
However, a surprisingly convincing victory came to the red half of Manchester. Ten Hag's team lifted their title in pride and looked forward to a brighter future from the podium of Wembley. The coaching position has cooled down, new spending approvals have been paid off, all as if preparing for an explosive 2024-2025 season.
But no, everything was there. Ten Hag has lost from match to match in many different bad scenarios. Just a few months after the extension until 2027, the Dutch captain lost his job after a brief announcement on the club's homepage. Ten Hag's departure left a mess of chaos as his playing style had not yet been defined, his new players had not caught up and countless approved financial plans were left unfinished.
Quickly, an offer that was appraised despite calculations was sent by the owners to Ruben Amorim. The young Portuguese strategist is very hot in the transfer market, even targeted by Jurgen Klopp for the seat he left at Liverpool. However, the offer of having to answer immediately along with an attractive salary is something the 39-year-old coach cannot refuse.
Amorim came with a new hope of youthfulness, vitality and enthusiasm from the pitch to the stands. However, the cold winds in England are much harsher than the familiar warm sunlight in the Iberia peninsula. The 3-4-3 formation has followed Amorim for 3 months at Man United but has not been effective. Basic mistakes, lack of rhythm and even the lack of sharpness of the attack. All of this has caused Amorim's first phase of the re-working revolution to be in turmoil.
If Jurgen Klopp left Anfield to leave Arne Slot with a palace with many supercars, Erik ten Hag left and left Ruben Amorim with a dilapidated house from the inside out. Right now, where will Man United go when they are no longer in the race of the big guys, there was even a time when the alarm whistle of the group holding the red light below rang to the ears?
So what is Ruben Amorim's goal at Old Trafford now? Is it about getting the team on track, running a track to the championship by 2028 as CEO Omar Berrada aims? Or in another way, Amorim just needs to stabilize and do like Jose Mourinho is enough?
Uncertainty over the team's future is the scariest thing for Man United fans. They look to arch-rivals Liverpool, who have taken nearly 30 years to return to the top spot in English football. If they cannot win the Premier League by 2028, Man United will go half the way to the highest domestic title white race like The Kop.
