The defeat to fourth-tier Grimsby Town caused Ruben Amorim to make emotional statements. He admitted that in those moments of failure, he felt "thirsty" and sometimes just wanted to give up. Those words caused a stir in public opinion, questioning the psychological state of the 40-year-old strategist.
Despite the pressure from the results and public opinion, the "Red Devils" leadership is still behind Amorim. According to The Times, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the leaders still highly appreciate Amorim's commitment and potential, so they decided to hold on for a few more matches before really considering.
This support has appeared before Ruben Amorim. In fact, right after last year's poor season in 15th place and a failure in the Europa League, Amorim still has the trust of INEOS. CEO Omar Berrada and Sir Jim Ratcliffe have affirmed that Man United's future will depend on a "long-term project" led by Amorim. After that, the "Red Devils" spent a lot of money to serve Amorim's ideals and may have new contracts in the coming days.
One of the things Amorim has been praised for is his authenticity and frankness, which is rare in the football press environment. The way the 40-year-old coach admitted Man United's "worst in Premier League history" in January was a valuable transparency.
However, that belief is only meaningful if accompanied by clear progress in results. The board could not rely on confidence and could not see improvement on the pitch. Amorim now has a record of just seven wins in 29 Premier League games (Winning 28 points in 29 games, with a win rate of just 24%), a tally equal to that of coaches who are under pressure to stay in the league and are far behind their predecessors.
One of the things Amorim has not done well in his tenure is pushing Man United's young talents away. Mainoo, Garnacho and Hojlund were all once considered the future of the "Red Devils", but now all 3 no longer maintain the same influence as before.
It is even more surprising that Mainoo, who was valued at 74.8 million Euros in early 2024, has now proactively asked to leave after being on the bench. Garnacho, who was once valued at more than €100 million, has now left Old Trafford for a fee of just half.
The reason is partly explained by financial fairness regulations, forcing Man United to sell players to "homegrown" players to balance the books. However, that is clearly not the only factor. More importantly, Amorim has never really believed that Garnacho and Mainoo fit his tactics.
Instead of developing in a positive environment, young talents are caught up in a spiral of pressure, controversy and eventually leave in bitterness. The celebratory photo on the advertising board against West Ham in 2024, once called a "icon", has now become a sour reminder that all hopes at Old Trafford can quickly flap.
Although Man United's leadership gave Ruben Amorim more time, in fact this was a signal, they believed in Amorim, but it was time for him to restart and prove himself. The upcoming results for Burnley and Man City will be the time to test whether that belief is right or not.
Manchester United are betting on Ruben Amorim as someone who can rebuild the club. That belief comes from honesty, clear vision and the ability to build culture. However, football is the result and that belief could soon break down.
Until then, Man United want Amorim to continue. However, will they be patient enough to witness a realition or just rub salt in the pain of the "Red Devils" fans when relying on replacements? The story now is not only about believing in Amorim, it is also about Man United needing to show a real long-term vision.
