Sir Alex Ferguson has already offered a blueprint as to how Manchester United should deal with failing managers like Ruben Amorim.
Alongside Sir Matt Busby, Ferguson is without doubt United’s greatest ever manager, having led the Red Devils to 13 Premier League titles during his 26-year reign as manager before departing in 2013.
And since the day Ferguson left, United have failed to secure a single league title and have won just five trophies – two FA Cups, two League Cups and one Europa League – in 12 years.
Currently, things are arguably at a low in the club's modern history, with United finishing 15th in the Premier League and losing the Europa League final to Spurs in the 2024/25 campaign.
In the early part of 2025/26, results have been poor in the Premier League with the Red Devils losing 1-0 against Arsenal on the opening weekend and drawing 1-1 with Fulham last Sunday.
Then on Wednesday, they exited the League Cup in round two after a humiliating penalty shootout loss to League Two Grimsby Town.
Sir Alex Ferguson was Manchester United manager for 26 years. (Credit:Getty)
Sir Alex Ferguson was Manchester United manager for 26 years. (Credit:Getty)
Some fans have since called for Amorim to be sacked, but he will remain in charge for the weekend’s clash against Burnley at Old Trafford despite tentative links with a switch to Benfica.
So, what advice has ‘Fergie’ given to Man United about the current situation?
While he has not directly addressed Amorim’s future, the Scot previously offered some words of wisdom over a series of interviews with the Harvard Business School professor Anita Elberse in 2012.
When speaking about the foundation a manager needs, Ferguson explained: “At some clubs, you need only to lose three games in a row and you're fired. In today's football world, with a new breed of directors and owners, I am not sure any club would have the patience to wait for a manager to build a team over a four-year period. Winning a game is only a short-term gain – you can lose the next game. Building a club brings stability and consistency."
Three years later, in 2015, Ferguson spoke to ESPN and maintained that by sticking with a manager, "you get consistency and you get success."
Ruben Amorim is under pressure at Man Utd (Credit:Getty)
Ruben Amorim is under pressure at Man Utd (Credit:Getty)
"There's no evidence that sacking a manager gives you success," Ferguson said.
"But there is evidence at Manchester United, at Nottingham Forest, at Arsenal that [if] you retain the manager for long periods, you get consistency and you get success."
What happens next with Amorim remains to be seen, but based on his previous quotes, it’s fair to say Ferguson believes he should be given at least some more time.