Amorim has huge pressure on him after the disastrous season for the Red Devils
Manchester United are facing a close of the season marked by frustration and uncertainty. The recent defeat in the Europa League final has left obvious scars, not only on the team’s morale but also on the environment around them. The club, historically demanding and accustomed to resounding success, have stumbled again at a key moment, missing a valuable opportunity to secure its place in the next Champions League. Meanwhile, the atmosphere within the dressing room has become tense and fans are increasingly expressing their disappointment. The pressure on the board is strong, especially regarding the future of the coach.
Unai Emery backs Manchester United to continue with the 40-year-old
However, voices from outside the club offer another view on Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim. Unai Emery, currently manager of Aston Villa, has made it clear that he believes that the 40-year-old is a ready and capable figure to lead a team the size of Manchester United. He has highlighted the consistency in his career, the clarity in his tactical decisions and his way of keeping his team competitive even in adverse conditions. Emery did not just focus on recent results, but pointed to a broader assessment of his work and the context in which Amorim took over. His analysis reflects an understanding of the difficulty of stabilising a team with so much media exposure and institutional pressure.
“Always, [I expect] the best of them. The best. The greatness of Manchester United is still there. The great coach they have is still there. He did a fantastic job in Sporting Lisbon, fantastic, and not for one year, not two years, not three years – consistently. When he arrived here, it was a difficult moment. They were in two competitions, as well as the FA Cup, but they were trying to be consistent. They chose in one moment for the Europa League because it was a great way through it to get their target to be in the Champions League. Only one of them in the final could achieve their objective, and they lost. But their greatness is still being there. The coach is a great coach and the players are very good players. We have played here with Aston Villa for three years and I didn’t beat them here [Old Trafford]. My respect is a massive respect for Manchester United, their players and for the coach.”
In my view, Emery’s words are not just a courtesy between colleagues, but a valid assessment of a process that needs time and conviction. Amorim arrived at a fractured club, with diffuse objectives and a patchy squad. In a short time he managed to give it an idea of the game, something that is not built on urgency or emotional reactions.
Can Unai Emery's backing of Ruben Amorim convince Manchester United to retain the 40-year-old manager despite their recent challenges?
Can Unai Emery’s backing of Ruben Amorim convince Manchester United to retain the 40-year-old manager despite their recent challenges?
Mistakes in crucial games exist, but the manager’s overall approach has shown positive signs. Manchester United need just that: continuity, a clear direction and a commitment that doesn’t crumble at the first stumble. Changing the manager because of a defeat, however painful, may be a reflection of improvisation rather than planning. Amorim deserves a full year with a squad designed to suit him, without the inherited burdens or the urgencies of the calendar.
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At the same time, there is another view worth considering. United, as an institution, has lost some of its identity since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. Beyond the dugout, the internal structure needs coherence between its sporting, executive and training areas. Amorim may be key, but he is not the whole solution.
The responsibility also falls on the sporting director, on the leaders of the dressing room and on a culture that cannot depend on names, but on solid projects. If the club insist on immediate solutions, they will remain trapped in a cycle of frustrated expectations. To bet on Amorim is to bet on a more sensible process, even if unpopular in the short term. And at the moment, sanity is exactly what Manchester United need most.