An unexpected talking point emerged at Manchester United recently from the most surprising source, as Bruno Fernandes had some choice words to say about the club and the people associated with it.
You can read every word Bruno Fernandes said in that explosive interview on United in Focus, because the aftereffects will be felt for a while.
When the captain of the club says the owners ‘lack courage’, and many of his teammates ‘don’t care about the club’ as much as he does, nobody comes away from it looking good.
Bruno Fernandes says he felt United were happy for him to leave in the summer!
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Bruno Fernandes quote graphic
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That’s not the case with this particular interview, however, as one person comes out of it with his reputation enhanced.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim with Bruno Fernandes during the Carabao Cup Quarter Final match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 19, 2024
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Bruno Fernandes separates Ruben Amorim from Man Utd
In his long interview, Bruno Fernandes touched upon everything, from the culture of football that discards older players to his loyalty not being repaid.
Interestingly, Fernandes himself came out of that interview looking a bit indecisive, because he said in October that the club wanted him to stay.
Now, he says the club wanted him to go but lacked the courage to say so, which also doesn’t tally with Ineos’ public stance on the same.
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Overall, his interview has turned the whole situation into a “he said, they said” scene where no party’s public actions and private words match.
Except Ruben Amorim.
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Ruben Amorim has insisted from the very first day that he walked through the doors of Old Trafford that he wants Fernandes to stay.
He said so publicly when the Saudi Arabian league interest was heating up, and he used him as an example for others when Fernandes stayed.
Amorim’s public stance was clear in press conferences, and hearteningly, so was his private stance.
Fernandes said in the interview how Amorim was the one who pushed for him to stay behind the scenes as well, eventually causing Ineos to relent and back the Man Utd manager.
Only Amorim’s private actions and public words match, and his honesty will surely go down well with Man Utd fans, with whom the manager is sharing a pretty uneasy relationship right now.
Amorim will need to be smart about Fernandes now
Amorim is an interesting personality because his honesty might be his greatest strength and his biggest weakness at the same time.
He is what he is at your face, regardless of whether the cameras are recording it or not, as evidenced by his conduct during the Fernandes transfer saga.
At the same time, this honesty has seen him alienate a section of fans after his uncalled-for comments on Man Utd’s academy.
Ruben Amorim believes Harry Amass and Chido Obi would not make an impact in the Man Utd first team 🤔
What do you think of Amorim's comments? Is he making a good point, or is he losing it?
Ruben Amorim on Amass/Chido
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Now, he will need to be smart about the Fernandes situation, because he will definitely be asked about it in his next press conference.
For once, he will have to play the diplomat and defuse the situation to avoid further scrutiny instead of openly airing everything that happened in the summer.
His next media interaction will be extremely tricky, what with Kobbie Mainoo’s brother causing needless controversy with his stunt during United vs Bournemouth, and now this Fernandes interview.
Honesty is good, but Amorim will need to bring out his politician side next.
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