Amorim Reflects on Challenging First Year at Manchester United, Eyes Long-Term Future
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has acknowledged a “really tough” initial year at the club, but reaffirmed his commitment to leading the team for the foreseeable future. Appointed as the successor to Erik ten Hag on November 1, 2024, and officially taking the reins ten days later, the Portuguese tactician has navigated a period of both progress and setbacks, achieving 21 wins and 19 losses in his first 52 matches – a 40% victory rate.
“It was a journey, a big journey,” Amorim stated, reflecting on his first twelve months. “It was tough, really tough, with good moments and bad moments. I learned a lot that is really important. I found out that even in my lower moments I can stick with the things I believe, and that is a good thing for anyone to understand. Today the answer is different from three weeks ago. It’s one of the biggest honours of my life to be here, and I want to continue here for many years.”
The team has recently found form, securing victories in their last three Premier League contests against Sunderland, Liverpool, and Brighton. United will travel to face Nottingham Forest, now under the leadership of Sean Dyche, on Saturday, marking Dyche’s third game in charge. Interestingly, Dyche previously suggested he could achieve better results with the current United squad, stating in August, “I bet I could win more games with that squad playing a 4-4-2.”
Amorim dismissed Dyche’s comments with characteristic composure. “Maybe it’s true that if we play 4-4-2 we win more games,” he conceded. “But I always said that I have a way of playing that is going to take a while, but in the future it’s going to be better. I can look at Sean Dyche as a manager and as a pundit. If you are a pundit and you don’t say very strong things, I don’t want to watch you. So I understand that it’s a completely different job. I know that Sean Dyche is really smart and he knows how to play the game. He also understands that it is one thing when we are seeing the game and talking about the game, the other thing is to coach a team. I have nothing to say, I just want to win the next game.”
Positive news on the injury front indicates that Lisandro Martínez has resumed full training after a knee injury sustained in February. However, Amorim cautioned against rushing his return. “He wants to go to [play in] this one [Forest] – he’s not going to,” Amorim explained. “He’s done training with us, but we changed some things in the exercises, so slowly he’s going to get better.” The availability of Harry Maguire remains uncertain.
Internally, a disappointing result appears to have prompted increased scrutiny of Amorim’s performance. According to a senior official, the 3–1 loss at Brentford on September 27th stood out as a particularly concerning moment. This defeat followed a victory over Chelsea, and Amorim had publicly expressed the need to secure consecutive league wins.
“The Brentford game stands out as a game in which we were extremely disappointed in the way we played,” the director of football told MUTV. “But in all the other games we’ve had moments of really good play, we’ve seen progress, and we’ve got to keep this going now.” Despite the challenges, Amorim remains focused on building a successful future at Old Trafford, determined to implement his vision and deliver consistent results for the club and its supporters.
