Ruben Amorim says he does not want Kobbie Mainoo to leave Manchester United.
The head coach was speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow’s must-win Premier League match against Burnley at Old Trafford.
There were plenty of tricky questions for the boss to field, having seen his side knocked out of the League Cup by League Two side Grimsby Town on Wednesday.
The first question was about his reactions following Wednesday’s defeat, when he implied he might resign.
“To be really honest with you, guys, every time we have one defeat like that, I am going to be like that,” he said. “Sometimes I hate my players, sometimes I love my players. Sometimes I want to defend my players. That is my way of doing things and I’m going to be like that.
“In that moment, I was frustrated and annoyed that you have a lot of experienced people talking about the way I should perform with the media, to be more constant, to be more calm, but I’m not going to be like that.
“So I’m trying to accept that, and I’m going to be the person that I am. And that’s why I have the passion that I have.
“In that moment I was really upset and really disappointed because I thought we had a really good pre-season, we were playing better, we were being consistent in the way we played. We played 30 minutes badly against Fulham and then, that kind of performance, I was really disappointed with everything. But now, it’s a new game and I am focused on the game.
“I am going to be like that all the time, so prepare yourselves.
“If you are in one way, if you have this kind of behaviour, you have to understand that sometimes you have good things and the other side of the coin. So I understand that. Sometimes I want to quit, sometimes I want to be here for 20 years., sometimes I love to be with my players, sometimes I don’t want to be with them. I have to improve on that.
Another important one was about the speculation concerning Mainoo’s future.
“I want Kobbie to stay,” he said. “He needs to fight for his place, and we need Kobbie. So that is not going to change. The rest [Hojlund, Garnacho and co] I don’t know how it’s going to finish.
“I understand that the players who aren’t playing in this moment are disappointed. Everyone will have the same opportunity to play. You have to fight during the week.”
The coach was then reminded that he said toward the end of last season he would quit if things feel the same this season.
“I felt that after the game. I don’t feel that now. I think that is the hardest part of the defeat; sometimes it is not the result, it is the way we lost that game or drew that game. It is the small things: recover position, fight for the ball, running, all these small things sometimes we dropped a little bit the level. The good thing is now we have the next game to put that right, and that is now the focus.”
Featured image Patrick McDermott via Getty Images
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Red Billy
Red Billy is the managing editor of The Peoples Person, author of three books and totally obsessed with football’s transfer market. Billy still insists Matteo Darmian and Alex Telles could have made it at United given half a chance.
