Ruben Amorim | 2025-26

[UnitedSofa]

Whitwell reporting the same lines as earlier in the week that Sir Jim wants to give Amorim the full season:


️ @lauriewhitwell on if Amorim will be sacked if he lost to Sunderland:

"From speaking to people, even if United lost to Sunderland, I DON'T think it would be the end for Ruben Amorim.

Speaking with people this week, getting the same information that’s already been reported - Sir Jim Ratcliffe is the ultimate decision maker on this, really. He’d take recommendations from Omar Berrarda and Jason Wilcox, and the Glazers, Joel Glazer specifically, would have an opinion.

Ratcliffe is the one who’ll decide and I’m told he wants to give Amorim the FULL season. It’s a new squad, to a degree, it’s the coach trying to get his methods across even more so. We can debate if that’s the right choice or not, but that’s the current messaging from the very top with Sir Jim Ratcliffe."

#MUFC [TOTD pod]

 

[stevoc]

No, it does not.

If the idea is that sacking ETH and going for Amorim was in line with an overall plan (about how United should play/recruit/get back to our "perch"...and so forth), there isn't much evidence supporting said idea.

From an outside perspective it looks much more like Amorim was given a lot of freedom to implement his own ideas (rather than being tasked with carrying out a club plan - so to speak). And that includes transfers - as in: he seemingly had quite a bit of input there, meaning: the club targeted (and bought) players he wanted. Exactly like ETH (and every other post-SAF manager/head coach/whatever).

Now, this (the club bought players the "manager" wanted) isn't a red flag in and of itself (the club shouldn't be recruiting players the "manager" doesn't want, obviously not), but the point is that we have very little evidence that anyone at United beyond the "manager" has a solid plan (short-term, long-term) for...anything.

In simple terms, we have no very good reason to think that anything has changed, fundamentally: Amorim is yet another "manager" (with his own ideas), not a "head coach" working under someone who does have a plan for recruitment, playing style, etc.

Yep, it's a depressing episode mate.

Ineos have talked a good game but so far they've been very poor in giving Ten Hag way to much time when it was obvious he needed the boot in the summer of 2024. And then doing the classic Glazer/Woodward of hiring a flavour of the month manager, with a different style/formation his predecessor. Sparking another rebuild because the current squad is unsuited to implement their 'philosophy'.

 

[stevoc]

I've said this for many years now.
There is no plan. The Board "react" to situations and when a business/organisation have no plan, it turns into a disaster, as we are seeing before our eyes.

They've been way too reactive both the Glazers/Ineos. Give managers too much time for fear of bad PR and then making poor management choices and giving them too much control and money to piss away.

We could probably still do with an experienced DOF to be honest.

 

[UnitedSofa]

 

[stevoc]

Whitwell reporting the same lines as earlier in the week that Sir Jim wants to give Amorim the full season:


️ @lauriewhitwell on if Amorim will be sacked if he lost to Sunderland:

"From speaking to people, even if United lost to Sunderland, I DON'T think it would be the end for Ruben Amorim.

Speaking with people this week, getting the same information that’s already been reported - Sir Jim Ratcliffe is the ultimate decision maker on this, really. He’d take recommendations from Omar Berrarda and Jason Wilcox, and the Glazers, Joel Glazer specifically, would have an opinion.

Ratcliffe is the one who’ll decide and I’m told he wants to give Amorim the FULL season. It’s a new squad, to a degree, it’s the coach trying to get his methods across even more so. We can debate if that’s the right choice or not, but that’s the current messaging from the very top with Sir Jim Ratcliffe."

#MUFC [TOTD pod]

And that will be the case (and what's briefed to the press) until it isn't the case. Let's not forget last September Ten Hag had the full public backing of Ratcliffe, Berrada and Ashworth. A month later he was gone.

75 year old Billionaires don't tend to be the most patient of people.

 

[Raoul]

Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic on today's podcast

- Based on his sources, even a loss to Sunderland wouldn't be the end of Ruben Amorim

- Ratcliffe is the ultimate decision maker and wants to give Amorim the full season

- Decisions are made in consultation with Berrada, Wilcox, and Joel Glazer

- Ultimately, the club are saying they are taking the long term view on Amorim and won't be swayed by single matches in isolation

- The backing is there for Amorim. They're with him and want to support him through this

 

[tomaldinho1]

No I don't agree that we have 'no idea'.

Can I ask you a question now? In the context of the discussion that my comments were made, does it makes any difference whether we do or don't know whether he wanted a CM over a CF?

You've just revealed you're arguing in bad faith. Of course we have no idea, because the article does not say it anywhere. You are adding the assumption yourself to suit your opinion.

In answer to your question, I don't know as I have not read back through your other conversations with other posters but why is that relevant to you saying something that is incorrect in isolation? Please feel free to put a summary here if it is relevant and I can respond if you think it relevant.

 

[Rusholme Ruffian]

Whitwell reporting the same lines as earlier in the week that Sir Jim wants to give Amorim the full season:


️ @lauriewhitwell on if Amorim will be sacked if he lost to Sunderland:

"From speaking to people, even if United lost to Sunderland, I DON'T think it would be the end for Ruben Amorim.

Speaking with people this week, getting the same information that’s already been reported - Sir Jim Ratcliffe is the ultimate decision maker on this, really. He’d take recommendations from Omar Berrarda and Jason Wilcox, and the Glazers, Joel Glazer specifically, would have an opinion.

Ratcliffe is the one who’ll decide and I’m told he wants to give Amorim the FULL season. It’s a new squad, to a degree, it’s the coach trying to get his methods across even more so. We can debate if that’s the right choice or not, but that’s the current messaging from the very top with Sir Jim Ratcliffe."

#MUFC [TOTD pod]

I personally wouldn't read too much into this. It's one thing for Ratcliffe to have this in mind as an ideal scenario, but how many times have we seen performances go into a death roll that cannot be escaped. If we lose to Sunderland and get absolutely pasted by Liverpool I think it will be nigh on impossible to turn things around from there. It's the correct messaging to be giving out ahead of a crucial weekend but I highly doubt that he'll be of the same mind if we don't start stringing some results together pretty soon.

 

[saik]

Right, if we keep Amorim and don't make Europe(or god forbid, get relegated), can Ratcliffe and his supposed best in class team leave alongside him? Do these people think fans are being swayed by results in isolation? Just from this season alone Grimsby, Fulham and Brentford are poor results in isolation? It's amazing how finishing 15th and losing EL to a Spurs team who were somehow even worse than us is being swept under the carpet.

 

[davidmichael]

Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic on today's podcast

- Based on his sources, even a loss to Sunderland wouldn't be the end of Ruben Amorim

- Ratcliffe is the ultimate decision maker and wants to give Amorim the full season

- Decisions are made in consultation with Berrada, Wilcox, and Joe Glazer

- Ultimately, the club are saying they are taking the long term view on Amorim and won't be swayed by single matches in isolation

- The backing is there for Amorim. They're with him and want to support him through this

This right here is the problem at United as Ratcliffe, Ineos and Berrada have no experience in football making decisions yet were the ones who were intent on Amorim against the strong resistance of Ashworth and apparently also Wilcox who are the ones with footballing decision making experience although in Wilcox’s case minimal.

By the time November comes around we could realistically be in the relegation places and if Amorim is given the full season based on last season and so far this one relegation is a genuine possibility as having our centre backs in a three, the wing backs at our disposal, the suicidal midfield and a system that nullifies our own forwards is only taking us one way.

 

[saik]

I personally wouldn't read too much into this. It's one thing for Ratcliffe to have this in mind as an ideal scenario, but how many times have we seen performances go into a death roll that cannot be escaped. If we lose to Sunderland and get absolutely pasted by Liverpool I think it will be nigh on impossible to turn things around from there. It's the correct messaging to be giving out ahead of a crucial weekend but I highly doubt that he'll be of the same mind if we don't start stringing some results together pretty soon.

There should be no 'and' in here. If he loses to Sunderland he should be fired. But I thought the same before the Grimsby game.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic on today's podcast

- Based on his sources, even a loss to Sunderland wouldn't be the end of Ruben Amorim

- Ratcliffe is the ultimate decision maker and wants to give Amorim the full season

- Decisions are made in consultation with Berrada, Wilcox, and Joe Glazer

- Ultimately, the club are saying they are taking the long term view on Amorim and won't be swayed by single matches in isolation

- The backing is there for Amorim. They're with him and want to support him through this

WHY is Jim Ratcliffe making footballing decisions?!

 

[Rolaholic]

WHY is Jim Ratcliffe making footballing decisions?!

Best in class hear hear

 

[Raoul]

Right, if we keep Amorim and don't make Europe(or god forbid, get relegated), can Ratcliffe and his supposed best in class team leave alongside him? Do these people think fans are being swayed by results in isolation? Just from this season alone Grimsby, Fulham and Brentford are poor results in isolation? It's amazing how finishing 15th and losing EL to a Spurs team who were somehow even worse than us is being swept under the carpet.

Have you considered the alternative scenario ? Amorim stays, we don't get relegated, and INEOS continue to own and manage the club.

 

[Martinez4midfield]

His xI must be through the roof

Underrated comment

 

[Rusholme Ruffian]

You've just revealed you're arguing in bad faith. Of course we have no idea, because the article does not say it anywhere. You are adding the assumption yourself to suit your opinion.

In answer to your question, I don't know as I have not read back through your other conversations with other posters but why is that relevant to you saying something that is incorrect in isolation? Please feel free to put a summary here if it is relevant and I can respond if you think it relevant.

Ooh, did I walk right into your cunning trap? Well done young Sherlock! You seem to only understand dealing in absolutes and I think that's why we are where we are with this. Your question was: Do you agree, yes or no only, that we have no idea if Amorim wanted a CM over a CF? Well no, I don't agree that we have no idea, I think it's possible to have some idea based on the information that we do have. If you'd asked 'Do you agree that it is impossible to say for certain that Amorim preferred a CM over a CF' then I would have agreed with you. Nothing whatsoever to do with 'arguing in bad faith' so stick your green smiley up your hole! :-P

As to the second bit - for goodness sake man, I have summarised this multiple times over my last few replies to you, you have clearly not bothered to try and understand what I'm saying because you are so desperate to prove the point which you inserted yourself into the conversation to make. I will take you up on your kind offer for me to provide you with a further summary though, here you go:

@Chesterlestreet made a post which included various points, one of which (and I'm paraphrasing) was essentially saying that the club are making the same mistakes over transfers that we did under Ten Hag (i.e. buying Amorim all the players he wants without any kind of overarching plan). There then followed a bit more discussion with other posters getting involved, but the premise of the debate remained. In that context my comment: "As per the Athletic Amorim wanted a midfielder, Wilcox wanted to prioritise the forward line" was relevant to the discussion as it provided some evidence that a) Amorim was unsuccessful in getting the board to buy him the midfielder he wanted and b) that Jason Wilcox - the DoF - made the ultimate decision to prioritise a number 9 over a number 6, showing that unlike the ETH period we now have a DoF who is making overarching decisions based on the longer term health of the club (see also the decision to bring in Lammens over Martinez).

Quite why you have made such a fuss over this I have no idea.

 

[Raoul]

WHY is Jim Ratcliffe making footballing decisions?!

I'm guessing he doesn't' make the mundane ones such as which keeper United should buy. The manager decision obviously affects the clubs broader business equities such as whether the club earn an addition 80-100m by qualifying for Europe next year, which would obviously be of considerable interest to the owner as well as the club's business strategy going forward

 

[TsuWave]

That settles it

 

[IRN-BRUno]

Wanting to give him a full season and actually doing so are two entirely different things.

 

[RedDevil@84]

Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic on today's podcast

- Based on his sources, even a loss to Sunderland wouldn't be the end of Ruben Amorim

- Ratcliffe is the ultimate decision maker and wants to give Amorim the full season

- Decisions are made in consultation with Berrada, Wilcox, and Joe Glazer

- Ultimately, the club are saying they are taking the long term view on Amorim and won't be swayed by single matches in isolation

- The backing is there for Amorim. They're with him and want to support him through this

If that is what SJR wants, then that is what it is.

But then don't turn around after loss to Liverpool and sack him.

 

[Rusholme Ruffian]

There should be no 'and' in here. If he loses to Sunderland he should be fired. But I thought the same before the Grimsby game.

You thought he would be fired 3 games into a season when the new signings hadn't even properly bedded in? After putting in a good performance against Arsenal and getting a point away to Fulham? Tough crowd!

 

[Raoul]

If that is what SJR wants, then that is what it is.

But then don't turn around after loss to Liverpool and sack him.

I would take today's comments from Whitwell with a pinch of salt. I recall nearly a year ago, Ratcliffe appeared to punt on ten Hag's status by saying it wasn't his decision, which in turn created a bit of a lull in the expectation he would be sacked. Then, seemingly out of the blue after a 2-1 loss to West Ham, he was abruptly gone.

 

[ti vu]

WHY is Jim Ratcliffe making footballing decisions?!

Unbelievable. It sounds like we just continue with Glazers model with proxies and puppets to let on football people to run the show. Tell me I am dreaming a bad nightmare.

 

[Martinez4midfield]

Is it champions League or bust then? If Amorim finished 7th or 8th do they stick him with further because "progress" ?

I think they'd be making a big mistake passing up on Glasner.

 

[andersj]

Probably hope he resign.

 

[saik]

Have you considered the alternative scenario ? Amorim stays, we don't get relegated, and INEOS continue to own and manage the club.

That's why the "if" is there in my post. They want to back Amorim and give him the full season, fair enough. But, IF we don’t qualify for Europe, that would make it two consecutive seasons under this manager and this leadership team without European football. If there are no consequences for that, then it suggests we're starting to normalize mid-table or bottom-half finishes, and that there are no issues with such performances.

And this comes after we’ve already watered down expectations within the last few years, treating any form of European qualification, including the Europa League, as an acceptable standard just by labelling it broadly as "European football."

Alternative is he stays and qualifies for Europe which has a very low of chance of happening based on what he has shown with us so far. At this point, can anyone hand on heart say that Amorim has it in him to get us top 6?

 

[tomaldinho1]

Ooh, did I walk right into your cunning trap? Well done young Sherlock! You seem to only understand dealing in absolutes and I think that's why we are where we are with this. Your question was: Do you agree, yes or no only, that we have no idea if Amorim wanted a CM over a CF? Well no, I don't agree that we have no idea, I think it's possible to have some idea based on the information that we do have. If you'd asked 'Do you agree that it is impossible to say for certain that Amorim preferred a CM over a CF' then I would have agreed with you. Nothing whatsoever to do with 'arguing in bad faith' so stick your green smiley up your hole! :-P

As to the second bit - for goodness sake man, I have summarised this multiple times over my last few replies to you, you have clearly not bothered to try and understand what I'm saying because you are so desperate to prove the point which you inserted yourself into the conversation to make. I will take you up on your kind offer for me to provide you with a further summary though, here you go:

@Chesterlestreet made a post which included various points, one of which (and I'm paraphrasing) was essentially saying that the club are making the same mistakes over transfers that we did under Ten Hag (i.e. buying Amorim all the players he wants without any kind of overarching plan). There then followed a bit more discussion with other posters getting involved, but the premise of the debate remained. In that context my comment: "As per the Athletic Amorim wanted a midfielder, Wilcox wanted to prioritise the forward line" was relevant to the discussion as it provided some evidence that a) Amorim was unsuccessful in getting the board to buy him the midfielder he wanted and b) that Jason Wilcox - the DoF - made the ultimate decision to prioritise a number 9 over a number 6, showing that unlike the ETH period we now have a DoF who is making overarching decisions based on the longer term health of the club (see also the decision to bring in Lammens over Martinez).

Quite why you have made such a fuss over this I have no idea.

Why are you being so passive aggressive? We do not have any idea who held a different opinion to Wilcox, aside from the fact we know they worked at United.

You get the summary you have given proves what I have now repeated about 5 times to you? Regardless of the point of Ineos not letting manager's run recruitment as with ETH (a point that is correct), you are misleadingly using the Athletic article to create the idea of Amorim being overruled by Wilcox, when it is not clear if he also wanted the CF first. It is very clear with the initial post, the one I replied to, was meant; that Amorim wanted one thing but Wilcox disagreed, and we have no idea if this is true or not.

The fact you can't just admit this i.e. read the article is just clogging the thread. It's fine, believe whatever you wish, but the point remains we do not know what Amorim's priorities were and if he wanted a CF before a CM, or vice versa.

 

[pocco]

Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic on today's podcast

- Based on his sources, even a loss to Sunderland wouldn't be the end of Ruben Amorim

- Ratcliffe is the ultimate decision maker and wants to give Amorim the full season

- Decisions are made in consultation with Berrada, Wilcox, and Joe Glazer

- Ultimately, the club are saying they are taking the long term view on Amorim and won't be swayed by single matches in isolation

- The backing is there for Amorim. They're with him and want to support him through this

I know this is a sensitive subject on here. I’m more positive on my outlook than others, but I feel the pain of those who are done with Amorim as I was there myself with ETH. Probably one of the first who had concerns in fact.

But what I will say is that at least you can give credit to them if this is the route we take. It’s a different approach for once (not just firing mid season) and they are sticking to their convictions. If they are ultimately proven right on this then fair play as it takes some balls of steel to ride this storm.

I do think they would sack him if it got to a stage where the the wheels had well and truly come off.

 

[Adz_99]

WHY is Jim Ratcliffe making footballing decisions?!

It's extremely concerning. He's happy to watch us flounder in the relegation zone because he's mates with the manager.

Why does he need the full season FFS. He's already had 34 games.

 

[DavidDeSchmikes]

Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic on today's podcast

- Based on his sources, even a loss to Sunderland wouldn't be the end of Ruben Amorim

- Ratcliffe is the ultimate decision maker and wants to give Amorim the full season

- Decisions are made in consultation with Berrada, Wilcox, and Joe Glazer

- Ultimately, the club are saying they are taking the long term view on Amorim and won't be swayed by single matches in isolation

- The backing is there for Amorim. They're with him and want to support him through this

won't be swayed by single matches in isolation

haven't they seen the form under Amorim so far?!?!

 

[Marcus]

Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic on today's podcast

- Based on his sources, even a loss to Sunderland wouldn't be the end of Ruben Amorim

- Ratcliffe is the ultimate decision maker and wants to give Amorim the full season

- Decisions are made in consultation with Berrada, Wilcox, and Joe Glazer

- Ultimately, the club are saying they are taking the long term view on Amorim and won't be swayed by single matches in isolation

- The backing is there for Amorim. They're with him and want to support him through this

Even if they were going to sack Amorim, there is no need to be so open about it. My thinking is that they probably intend to sack him in November when the compensation clause is lower (if this is true) given the tragic results, but until that date comes, there is no need for the higher management show their hands. It could unnecessarily further cause Amorim to become more paranoid and also cause the squad be disincentivized to fight for the manager since he won't be around regardless of the results. It is also plausible that since United yanked Amorim to join mid-season when he didn't want to, they feel that they owe him as much to let him have a fair go with the players he has now had a chance to sign. But personally, I think it's a hard sell to keep Amorim at this juncture.

 

[Nogbadthebad]

All the focus on results, which I can sort of understand. Even at our peak when winning 3 leagues ina row, we drew with Burton Albion with both Rooney and Ronaldo on the pitch. Sometimes it happens, its why football is great.

But we are being played off the park by Brentford. Not just beat, completely outplayed. Grimsby did too, for a good while. That is a very different situation than some bad results.

 

[saik]

You thought he would be fired 3 games into a season when the new signings hadn't even properly bedded in? After putting in a good performance against Arsenal and getting a point away to Fulham? Tough crowd!

Tough crowd because I wanted a manager who's been here for about 10 months, who just got backed with 200m+ worth of new players, after sidelining 5 players he didn't fancy, to win a football match against Grimsby who are a League 2 side?

I never knew I had such lofty expectations from a United manager.

 

[Adz_99]

I know this is a sensitive subject on here. I’m more positive on my outlook than others, but I feel the pain of those who are done with Amorim as I was there myself with ETH. Probably one of the first who had concerns in fact.

But what I will say is that at least you can give credit to them if this is the route we take. It’s a different approach for once (not just firing mid season) and they are sticking to their convictions. If they are ultimately proven right on this then fair play as it takes some balls of steel to ride this storm.

I do think they would sack him if it got to a stage where the the wheels had well and truly come off.

Umm, what exactly would need to happen for that to be the case if we're not already there? The only way we can get worse than we currently are is by getting relegated.

 

[Raoul]

I know this is a sensitive subject on here. I’m more positive on my outlook than others, but I feel the pain of those who are done with Amorim as I was there myself with ETH. Probably one of the first who had concerns in fact.

But what I will say is that at least you can give credit to them if this is the route we take. It’s a different approach for once (not just firing mid season) and they are sticking to their convictions. If they are ultimately proven right on this then fair play as it takes some balls of steel to ride this storm.

I do think they would sack him if it got to a stage where the the wheels had well and truly come off.

I agree. There's obviously a big difference in fan sentiment and how Ratcliffe is approaching this, which appears more from a business perspective. This is why I've maintained that if he thinks Amorim can get him into Europe he will keep him and if he thinks the wheels have come off and there's no hope of qualification then he could move earlier. Right now, his mindset seems much more in the former than the latter.

 

[Raoul]

Even if they were going to sack Amorim, there is no need to be so open about it. My thinking is that they probably intend to sack him in November when the compensation clause is lower (if this is true) given the tragic results, but until that date comes, there is no need for the higher management show their hands. It could unnecessarily further cause Amorim to become more paranoid and also cause the squad be disincentivized to fight for the manager since he won't be around regardless of the results. It is also plausible that since United yanked Amorim to join mid-season when he didn't want to, they feel that they owe him as much to let him have a fair go with the players he has now had a chance to sign. But personally, I think it's a hard sell to keep Amorim at this juncture.

True. I'm guessing Whitwell has very good sources inside the club, but even they obviously don't know what will happen because the next set of games haven't been played yet.

 

[Adz_99]

Hard for us to understand. Yep.

This guy's negativity is absolutely killing us. The way he constantly talks the team down and manages down expectations is genuinely horrendous.

He's basically saying "I don't think we can finish top 7". Does he know what club he manages? feck me I'm sick to death of him.

 

[Shark]

Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic on today's podcast

- Based on his sources, even a loss to Sunderland wouldn't be the end of Ruben Amorim

- Ratcliffe is the ultimate decision maker and wants to give Amorim the full season

- Decisions are made in consultation with Berrada, Wilcox, and Joe Glazer

- Ultimately, the club are saying they are taking the long term view on Amorim and won't be swayed by single matches in isolation

- The backing is there for Amorim. They're with him and want to support him through this

Is Ratcliffe Liverpool fan? Don't think even one of them would give this manager another game, nevermind a full fecking season if they had ownership. Outstanding level of incompetence.

 

[UnitedSofa]

This right here is the problem at United as Ratcliffe, Ineos and Berrada have no experience in football making decisions yet were the ones who were intent on Amorim against the strong resistance of Ashworth and apparently also Wilcox who are the ones with footballing decision making experience although in Wilcox’s case minimal.

By the time November comes around we could realistically be in the relegation places and if Amorim is given the full season based on last season and so far this one relegation is a genuine possibility as having our centre backs in a three, the wing backs at our disposal, the suicidal midfield and a system that nullifies our own forwards is only taking us one way.

I’m sure Berrada’s years at City would have earned him a few credits in the bank to make the right footballing decisions or at least have an input on them.

This guy's negativity is absolutely killing us. The way he constantly talks the team down and manages down expectations is genuinely horrendous.

He's basically saying "I don't think we can finish top 7". Does he know what club he manages? feck me I'm sick to death of him.

This is why a lot of the things Amorim says gets misunderstood, he literally isn’t saying we can’t get Europe.

He’s saying, “he wants to return to europe” & the fans are clamouring for and almost want a guarantee from him that it will, but he’s being a realist and saying “he’d love for it to happen, but he doesn’t know what will happen” - Like all of us!

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

Meanwhile Højlund banging them in for fun. Should have kept him and bought a mobile midfielder, but then again, who can predict Amorim's big brain moves.