Man United have one more game at home to Burnley before a two-week break due to the September internationals.
Amorim will be in the dugout against Burnley
Amorim will be in the dugout against Burnley
Ruben Amorim has refused to promise that he will remain in charge of Manchester United after the September international break.
League Two Grimsby Town eliminated United from the League Cup 12-11 in a penalty shootout on Wednesday night, having led 2-0 until the 75th minute in the 2-2 draw. That prompted an emotional post-match assessment from Amorim, who admitted "something has to change".
United host Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday before the first round of internationals this season and resume their campaign against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on September 14.
Amorim said at his pre-match press conference that "sometimes I want to quit, sometimes I want to be here for 20 years", a comment that United sources claimed was tongue in cheek and a rationale for his emotional nature after matches.
The United head coach is expected to hold further discussions with members of the club's leadership team during the internationals. United usually start planning for the summer transfer window the following year in September.
Amorim said during pre-season that to "walk away is more an ego thing". When asked if he can say with absolute certainty that he will be the United manager after the international break, Amorim replied: "I don't know what is going to happen. That is my idea [to stay], but again, I am not going to promise you nothing, what is going to be the future.
"But I'm the manager of Manchester United and I think that is not going to change. I said that sometimes there is an ego thing, I don't say that I will put my ego to a part, or in front. You were there, and you understand.
"Guys, I'm being honest with you, sometimes I'm so frustrated with the team that I think in one thing, and then I return to my normal behaviour! So I will not promise you that.
"I will live this day by day, so I'm tired of saying that I'm not going to behave like this or that. I'm going to be myself and I have a lot of passion and I want to succeed more than anyone."
Amorim stressed he remains confident that he is the right man to make United a credible force again but that he was "shocked" by the level of performance at Blundell Park.
Amorim at his press conference on Friday
Amorim at his press conference on Friday
"Yes (I am confident). It depends on the day!" he laughed. "But I'm confident because I saw these players play really well in tough matches and I see it in training, the training is so much better.
"I was not surprised, I was shocked in the last game, I was shocked. That's why you see that game, this is not our team, the way we are doing things.
"So I'm always confident in the way I manage the team. And then I'm trying to remind myself if Bruno (Fernandes) scores that penalty (at Fulham), if we have three first opportunities against Fulham, we score a goal. Things will be really different.
"And sometimes it's that small difference that changes the narrative and you can see it in one week, it looks like a different club.
"There's no excuse (for the Grimsby debacle), because I didn't put just 11 players that don't play so much, they played in pre-season, it was not just guys that are from the academy, a mix, no, it was in the right position.
Amorim was nearly on his knees at Grimsby
Amorim was nearly on his knees at Grimsby
"I could play that team the next game. We had Kobbie (Mainoo), Manu (Ugarte), Harry Maguire, (Matheus) Cunha, (Benjamin) Sesko, Amad, Diogo (Dalot), Patrick (Dorgu). So that is the frustration of a coach, so that's why it's hard.
"I don't know what happened, but in the normal day, so much better."
Amorim was in a jocular mood at his pre-match press conference, despite the humiliation at Grimsby. He admitted sometimes "I just need 10 minutes with myself alone" to talk him out of quitting.
"I don't need anyone, but I'm going to be like that. When you say I want to quit, it's that, 'f*****g, I want to quit, I don't love the players'. I hate sometimes my kids, so I'm going to be like that! That is not going to change.
"Sometimes it's a good thing, sometimes it's a funny thing, I'm going to suffer. We just need to win some games. So we cannot change that fact. We need to focus on the next game, and if we start winning, things are going to be easier to do."