Outbursts, honesty, tactical rigidity and poor results will be Amorim's epitaph

MANCHESTER, England, Jan 5 : ‌Manchester United's sacking of Ruben Amorim marks the culmination of the latest failed chapter in the club's post-Alex Ferguson story, this one defined by public barbs, stubborn tactics and utterly dismal form.

The Portuguese coach, hired in November 2024 to replace Erik ten Hag, frequently sparred with pundits and hinted at a power struggle with senior figures within the club when he repeatedly defended his defensive strategy after appalling initial league performance that marginally improved this season.

The latest in a long line of managers who have tried and failed to bring back the good times that flowed under Ferguson, Amorim had hinted for a couple of weeks that he was not pleased with the level of interference from United's board.

Sunday's explosive press conference following their 1-1 draw with Leeds United, in which he even name-checked pundit ‌Gary Neville, appeared to be the final straw. 

"If people cannot handle the Gary Nevilles and the criticisms of everything, ‌we need to change the club," Amorim said.

"I just want to say that I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach. And every department - the scouting department, the sports director - needs to do their job."

Neville responded by comparing it to former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca's similarly cryptic complaint, that led to the Italian leaving on New Year's Day, suggesting Amorim was playing a dangerous game and signalling unrest within Old Trafford's power structures, saying the comments "are never usually good."

From the outset, Amorim stood square behind his trademark back three system of either 3-4-3 or a slight variation of 3-4-2-1. 

TACTICAL FLEXIBILITY

Senior figures, including director of