Ruben Amorim has responded to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s claim this week that several Manchester United are either “overpaid or not good enough” ahead of his side’s clash with Real Sociedad.
The tie is evenly poised at 1-1 ahead of the clash at Old Trafford and United must overcome the Spanish side if they’re to keep their season alive, as well as their hopes of securing European football next season.
With Amorim’s side out of both domestic cups and sitting in 14th place in the Premier League, the Europa League is their only route to glory this season.
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The game comes against the backdrop of Ratcliffe’s interviews with Gary Neville on The Overlap, the BBC and various other media outlets this week.
He talked a whole lot of nonsense, but also made the very reasonable claim that some of the United players are not fit to wear the shirt or at least should be paid a whole lot less for doing so, name-checking five stars in the process.
Asked for his thoughts on Ratcliffe’s comments, Amorim said he believes he and his players can change opinions on their suitability for United by winning games.
“If you’re a top player playing in this club, even me – a lot of people say I am not good enough for the club – my feeling is that you can change that with results,” said Amorim.
“In training, I feel that they want this really bad. This game is also important to give us more energy to continue the season.
“It’s not going to change a lot in terms of the ideas for the next season, but it will give us more energy to finish the season in a different way. So it’s going to be a really important game for us.”
On his relationship with Ratcliffe, Amorim said: “It’s really good, since day one. I think we’re really blunt and honest with each other. It’s a little bit our characters, we are quite similar in that sense.
“I always felt the support of the board, especially from Sir Jim. I cannot tell you the conversations, but they are simple conversations, clear conversations and honest conversations.”
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Ratcliffe hailed Amorim as an “outstanding young manager” who he believes is doing an “excellent job”, while chief executive Omar Berrada said he would like to see the Portuguese boss lead United into their £2bn stadium in five years’ time.
On the support from the United hierarchy, Amorim said: “I already knew that, from all these conversations I already had in the past with them. After matches, they went to the dressing-room to talk to me and explain this, but to say it publicly is really good for the coach.
“But I continue to say the same thing – we need results and we need to improve the team. But from day one, I felt the support from everybody here.”
Speaking about United’s bold new stadium plan, Amorim said: “It’s an amazing stadium, like it should be. But it’s in the future, five years from now. We have to focus on the present and I’m really excited to win things in Old Trafford, that’s our focus.”
