Ruben Amorim addresses the Manchester United supporters at Old Trafford
Ruben Amorim addresses the Manchester United supporters at Old Trafford
Considering how poorly the Manchester United season ended, many on the outside would be shocked to see how popular Ruben Amorim remains across all sections of the football club.
The fanbase, notoriously the first to turn when a manager is at risk of losing their job, sing his name on a loop from the Stretford End. For the most part, the squad backs him and those that don't have quickly been spotted and offered out for permanent exits.
Meanwhile in the boardroom, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his confidants remain satisfied with what he is doing. There is a consensus among all three areas of the football club that Amorim was given a rough hand when he walked into Old Trafford last November and therefore it is too early to judge him.
However, how long this goodwill lasts is dependent on the start to next season, according to the words of Omar Berrada following the latest round of financial results. "We were proud to reach the final of the UEFA Europa League, but ultimately, we were disappointed to finish as runner-up in Bilbao," the CEO wrote in a statement which accompanied the financial results.
"We had a difficult season in the Premier League, which we all know fell below our standards and we have a clear expectation of improvement next season." Berrada's statement was suitably vague as to leave plenty of wiggle room for a quick decision to be made on Amorim if it is needed.
'Improvement' is not clearly defined by the CEO so, in theory, even winning a trophy may not be enough to see the Portuguese head coach keep his job. Albeit you would imagine that Amorim knows what is expected from him, on the outside looking in, that is unclear.
Arguably a clear improvement would be for United to be competitive once again and be challenging in the top half of the table, not the doldrums of the lower positions. Immediately challenging for the Premier League is unrealistic, but winning the FA Cup or Carabao Cup should be a top priority and measure of success in 2025/26.
While not defined in as many words, it is obvious that Amorim must oversee a positive shift next season. The manager himself admitted his job could be under threat late in the season following the team's struggles in the league.
"We are not scared of losing a game as Manchester United," he told reporters following his side's defeat to West Ham in May.
"We don't have that fear any more and that is the most dangerous thing that a big club can have. It's not the players’ fault, it's my fault, I'm responsible. If we cannot change that really fast we should give our place to different people."
Amorim will now have a summer transfer window to start shaping the squad in his own image, after which judgement can be fairly cast on his spell at Old Trafford. Support from above may be in high supply right now but if United still haven't improved by this time next year, we can expect Berrada, Ratcliffe and their colleagues to revoke their confidence in him.
Get United transfer news and updates on WhatsApp!
Our team of Manchester United experts are on top of all the goings-on at Old Trafford for this week and beyond, and you can get the latest team news, injury updates, reaction and analysis along with inside information to your phone by joining our new free WhatsApp community. You can also join the 50,000 (and growing!) band of United fans who are following our WhatsApp Channel.
Sign up to our community here, and join our WhatsApp channel here.
--
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including and , and you can also watch along on .