During his term, there were times when Ruben Amorim showed skepticism. According to sources inside and around the club, he had to be persuaded to continue playing in January 2025 after a series of poor performances.
After a match in February last year, Amorim also told a source that he "knows Man United will not win" just by observing how players tie their shoelaces before warm-up.
In the same conversation, Amorim expressed concern that the club had collapsed and he did not know how to heal it, because the players he took over were considered weak. He was particularly shocked by the physical foundation of the squad, repeatedly angry because the players were often disadvantaged in one-on-one duels.
Although the coaching process under Erik ten Hag already had many running exercises, Amorim still asked the player to spend more time in the gym, especially during the summer tour in the US.
Not only on the field, external problems are also gradually arising.
Amorim was partly appointed thanks to his reputation as a good communicator - which Ten Hag was considered lacking - but he continuously fell into trouble for his statements. The comments after the defeat to Brighton in January 2025, when Amorim said the team "is probably the worst" in the club's 147-year history, were not welcomed by the dressing room.
The board is even more worried when Amorim criticized striker Benjamin Sesko and defender Patrick Dorgu at the beginning of the season, and was not satisfied with his negative comments about the academy.
Last summer, Amorim was asked to be more cautious when speaking to the public. However, he affirmed that if he had to answer an interview, he would take advantage of it as a channel to send a direct message to players to activate positive feedback.
That approach is counterproductive. Last season, a veteran player was criticized for lacking determination and only knowing his name was mentioned when reading news on the phone. The coaching staff said that this is a type of suggestion that needs to be made directly, instead of publicly in the media.
Then, in a television interview last season, Amorim expressed his views on a player in such a straightforward way that the club thought the safest option was to ask the television station to remove the comment before broadcasting. And the station agreed.
Amorim was expected to connect with the player, because he was once a player for Benfica and Braga, but in fact he was considered more distant than expected. He clearly divided the "areas of responsibility" and often did not interfere in tasks that he did not consider his scope. This contrasts with Ten Hag, who tended to want to grasp everything, from player travel plans to media activities.
In the summer of 2025, Amorim said he formed a leadership group of 6 people: Bruno Fernandes, Lisandro Martinez, Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Noussair Mazraoui and Tom Heaton, with the reason: "There are some problems that I have had to solve in the past year". The implication is that he wants the locker room to be more self-managed, although at some point he still plays a supporting role.
After young center-back Leny Yoro collapsed due to a mistake in the match against Crystal Palace in November last year, Amorim spent a few days later talking privately with the French player and showing him a video summarizing Yoro's good plays at Selhurst Park.
Amorim also tried to get closer to the team with fans by adjusting his pre-match habits at Old Trafford, parking the team's car until the crowd was gathered at the entrance. Players were asked to stop to take photos and autograph before or after the match.
Usually, Amorim spends nearly an hour after each match to interact with fans, regardless of the weather or time. However, his disappointment was revealed after the Wolves draw, when he went home with his family.
In addition to building relationships with fans, Amorim also promotes the team spirit that he felt was lacking when he first came. Players returning from injury or reaching the milestone of appearances are welcomed with headbutts before each training session.
He replaced small round tables with two long tables to limit the formation of small groups during meals, and organized a "family day" in Carrington after the bitter defeat to second-tier team Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup in August last year.
Amorim appeared uncomfortable when some players did not attend the barbecue after the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham - a time when he thought the whole team needed to be united more than ever. For Amorim, cohesion is the core principle. Players are asked to stay after the training session to celebrate birthdays, each person has a custom-designed cake and a short speech.
For Amorim, talking in front of the team is an essential tool to develop a group of players that he sees as still young. However, if he has the right to decide, he wants to work with more experienced personnel, instead of a squad that he believes is still in the process of completion.
