Rio Ferdinand has had his say on calls for Ruben Amorim to be sacked as Manchester United struggle to get out of the gates this season, with the ex-England man optimistic that fortunes will soon shift
Rio Ferdinand speaking on his podcast
Rio Ferdinand has chimed in on calls for Manchester United to sack Ruben Amorim
(Image: YouTube/Rio Ferdinand Presents)
Rio Ferdinand has backed Ruben Amorim at Manchester United and called for optimism, hoping some stern words were had and fines handed out after the club's FA Cup defeat to Grimsby Town.
After valiantly losing their opening Premier League clash against Arsenal 1-0, many expected a new-look United side, buoyed by the signings of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko, to improve on their 15th-placed finish last time out. However, Amorim's men have made a slow start, and concerns were raised following their 1-1 draw with Fulham.
A few days after that result, in what was an upset for the ages, they exited the FA Cup on penalties to Grimsby. On Saturday, a 97th-minute Bruno Fernandes penalty rescued them from yet another disappointing result, as they beat Burnley 3-2, slightly quenching talk of manager Amorim being given the boot.
Ferdinand, who made 455 appearances for the Red Devils, chimed in on calls for Amorim to be sacked before the Burnley match. Though he advocated for conflict in the dressing room, admitting tongue in cheek that he would expect some fines, the 46-year-old nailed his colours to Amorim's mast and remains optimistic about the Portuguese manager's tenure.
"I'm hoping that in the changing room, he [Amorim] has had some choice words with those players, someone's been strangled, someone's been put in a headlock, someone's been fined," began Ferdinand, speaking on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel.
"I'd like to think there's been some really, really solid hard conversations had, almost fights. I don't mind a fight, have one. Because I think moments like that, when it's on edge, when emotions are running high, when people are feeling embarrassed...
Ruben Amorim in the dugout
Amorim's side exited the FA Cup after fighting back to draw 2-2 with Grimsby in regular time
"There's been a lot of people talking, saying 'Oh, Ruben Amorim, give him the sack now.' Before a ball was kicked, everyone was optimistic, and I'm the same. Optimistic and hopeful. I'm hopeful that we're gonna improve."
"You can't sack someone after three games; it doesn't make sense," he continued, speaking before the Burnley win. "You've allowed them to invest in three new strikers, and you're going to say after three games, when they're not even fully fit, that you're going to sack someone.
"It doesn't make sense to me. I don't see INEOS doing that. No way. I can't see it. They're more sensible than that. There are emotional people who pay good, hard-earned money who deserve to be entertained and deserve better performances and results. I get that.
"We all feel like that. But let's not be stupid. Let's not jump on the bandwagon and start getting all emotional about it, and say 'Right, I'm gonna start a vendetta.'
"Yes, there have been bad results, but when you try to turn things around at football clubs, especially one the size of Manchester United, that's been in turmoil and on a downward spiral for many years now, 10 or 12 years, do you think it's going to take six months or a year to turn that around? No. If we just keep changing managers every six months or every year, it's going to be the same thing for the next twenty years."
Many have questioned Amorim's tactics and unrelenting use of wide wing-backs, but Ferdinand does not buy into any criticism of the head coach's lack of formational change, as he added: "The formation has been an issue for a lot of people. 'Should there be some flexibility in that?'
"But this manager will tell you, 'Yeah, we may start with three at the back. But there are moments in the game that we are playing four at the back, and we're shifting round.' It changes in terms of shape in and out of possession.
"I think you've got to allow the club to go through a period of pain if we feel there's a chance to get through the other side, and you're gonna see some sunlight. If you're allowing the manager to spend the money that we have, allowing him to let people go, then there has to be an element of patience through turmoil, and that's where we are right now."
Following a tough few days, Amorim's men were able to close out the week on a high after narrowly claiming three points over Burnley. Despire twice surrendering a one-goal lead, Fernandes stepped up in the dying embers to slot the winning goal from the spot and seal the club's first victory of the season.
However, one downside was the injury to Matheus Cunha. The Brazilian was forced off in the first half with what seemed to be a hamstring injury but the extent of his problem is not yet known.
Speaking after the final whistle, Amorim admitted his concern at the forward's injury. "It was hard to lose a player like Cunha and Mason Mount - Mount played like 30 minutes with an injury," the United head coach said.
Asked if they were long-term issues, he replied: "I don't know, I don't know but I'm concerned about that. They are so important for us, so we'll see."