Amorim is preparing to “break his silence” on brutal United sacking, he predicts it will send shockwaves – report

Ruben Amorim is reportedly set to “break his silence” on his explosive dismissal as Manchester United head coach – but only once the season has ended, according to well-placed sources in Portugal. New Year, New Coach INEOS’s decision to wield their axe on Amorim’s tumultuous tenure at the beginning of January sent shockwaves across the Premier League. Despite 14 months of steadfast support for the 40-year-old coach – recruited after impressively re-establishing Sporting Clube de Portugal at the summit of Portuguese football – the hierarchy felt they were left with no alternative after a dismal Christmas period. Amorim’s much-maligned 3-4-2-1 system was the subject of intense scrutiny throughout his time at the club, with figures at Old Trafford – including recruitment director Christopher Vivell – believing United were too predictable to play against. Amorim had previously said only the Pope could get him to change his approach, predicated upon three central defenders and wing-backs instead of wingers. But, for the Boxing Day clash with Newcastle United, divine intervention struck the Theatre of Dreams, influenced heavily by the absence of a number of key players due to injury or international duty, as United lined up with a 4-2-3-1 – and emerged with an unlikely 1-0 win as a result. This transition sparked a wave of optimism at the club, both in the fanbase and the boardroom, that Amorim was willing to adapt his dogmatic system, with a raid for Antoine Semenyo sanctioned as United told the Ghana international he would be playing on the left wing – an indication a change in shape was here to stay. However, the Bournemouth talisman rejected these advances in favour of a switch to the blue half of Manchester, with a sense of frustration from Amorim that more was not done to secure him one of his key targets, a player with the physicality and work-rate to replicate the effect of a wing-back from a more advanced role. For the next match, against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Amorim overruled the papacy and returned to his trusty three-at-the-back system, despite the Black Country side being stranded at the bottom of the table. Under the bright lights of Old Trafford, a 1-1 draw against the worst side in the league in a performance devoid of attacking intent led INEOS to shine the spotlight on this decision. Sporting director Jason Wilcox held a meeting with Amorim three days later. This was standard practice for their working relationship – but there was nothing usual about the Portuguese coach’s reaction to it. Wilcox is understood to have asked about changes to his system; a need to evolve and enhance it. Amorim’s response was furious, telling the executive the players needed changing, rather than his approach, and threatening to call his agent to facilitate an exit. Three days later, following a 2-2 draw with Leeds United at Elland Road, and a bombastic post-match interview, Amorim got the second half of his wish. Sources at the club insist the reason behind the decision was a lack of progress on the pitch, while others point to this explosive blow-up between Amorim and Wilcox as the straw which broke the camel’s back. Either way, the result was the same: INEOS swung their scythe and the King was dead. Carrick the Caretaker In the wake of Amorim’s departure, under-18s coach Darren Fletcher took charge of the senior side on an interim basis, before Michael Carrick returned to the club as permanent caretaker until the end of the season. The transformation the former England international has overseen – three wins on the bounce against Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham – has been nothing short of remarkable. And the fact he has achieved it by making simple adjustments, such as restoring Kobbie Mainoo to central midfield and pushing Bruno Fernandes into the No. 10 role, places further scrutiny on Amorim’s decision-making process. United’s ethos as a football institution is hard to describe in precise terms; attacking football that is as bold as it is brave, utilising flying wingers and a back four, and a firm commitment to making young players the beating heart of the team would be a loose approximation of this underlying identity. The performances under Amorim were often as turgid as they were ineffective; the decision to employ wing-backs, rather than wingers, to provide width eschewed all conventional tactical understanding; and the Portuguese coach’s attitude to young players rang alarm bells for the club’s rulers. Whoever is selected as the long-term successor this summer, be it Carrick or, more likely, a new head coach, they will be expected to maintain the changes the 44-year-old has introduced, and implement a system which aligns with, rather than deviates from, the club’s traditions. Ruben is waiting to strike There has been a certain peculiarity about the radio silence from Amorim since his departure, with the former Sporting Clube de Portugal manager having quietly returned to the Portuguese capital along with his young family. However, sources in Lisbon indicate he is simply biding his time in an effort not to destabilise United’s push for European football this season. Once the campaign has come to an end, he is planning on “breaking his silence on how it rapidly soured” at Old Trafford, according to the Daily Mail. It’s understood Amorim has “no desire” to negatively affect the Red Devils while there is still so much to play for. And though this appears a noble intention on paper, it indicates a belief that his ‘side of the story’ will prove such a bombshell that it will cause waves back in Manchester. The 40-year-old tactician has been strongly linked with a quick return to the dugout, with Benfica said to be keeping tabs on him while Atletico Madrid are also preparing for the potential exit of Diego Simeone. Amorim remains a talented young coach who will undoubtedly prove a success at a different club; his philosophy was just at odds with the identity of Manchester United, and his obstinate refusal to accept this led to a fair dismissal, no matter what interpretation he may offer this summer. Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Darragh Fox Darragh is an editor for The Peoples Person who spent three years learning about the Cold War at the University of Sheffield slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about. Amad’s first touch should be officially recognised as the eighth wonder of the world.