“Where he got stuck is…”: United CEO Omar Berrada pinpoints fatal flaw that doomed Amorim at the club

Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada has revealed the fatal flaw that ultimately proved costly for Ruben Amorim at the club. Sacked United dismissed Amorim in January after an extremely turbulent 14-month stint. He arrived to much fanfare and expectation after a wildly successful spell in Portugal with Sporting CP, but he was unable to replicate this in England. In his first season, he led United to a 15th-place finish and a Europa League final loss to Tottenham Hotspur. He adamantly stuck to his controversial 3-4-2-1 system despite calls for him to adapt to an approach that was more suited to the players at his disposal. While the start of 2025/26 offered a glimmer of hope, the sobering defeats like the 3-1 thrashing by Brentford in September was a brutal reality check that all was far from fixed. Compounding matters, internal dressing-room scuffles involving players such as Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo did little to bolster his standing. The decisive rupture, however, occurred upstairs. Amorim’s working relationship with director of football Jason Wilcox and the broader hierarchy collapsed beyond repair, paving the way for Michael Carrick to take the reins. Carrick made an immediate impact, guiding the Red Devils to a third-place finish and securing Champions League football after a two-year absence. He was rewarded by being handed the job on a permanent basis. In a recent sit-down, Berrada blamed Amorim’s rigidity and failure to adapt for the woes he endured at Old Trafford. Berrada’s remarks Speaking at the FTWeekend Festival in New York last Saturday, Berrada explained, “I look back at the process of the appointment, I think the the rationale for choosing him was sound. He was a coach that had been very successful, in Portugal, Sporting Lisbon.” “He was young, he was dynamic. He had a way of explaining his football knowledge and ideas that was very clear. We felt he was able to relate and communicate with the players and dressing room.” “Off the back of lots of changes of coaches in the last 10 years, we really wanted to give Ruben time to develop his ideas, his concepts and give him the freedom on the training pitch to be able to implement his ideas.” United’s chief executive continued, “I think maybe where he got stuck is the size of the club — and a little bit on the reflection I made — the scrutiny of your ideas and decisions is so constant that perhaps he struggled managing that … Not that it was too big for him, but he maybe cornered himself in a position where he wanted to stick in a very rigid manner to his ideas because he wanted to show everybody that it’s going to work.” “And in the context of the volatility of emotions you get by being part of Manchester United, when you lose two or three games in a row, then it’s the end the world. So I think that was very hard to manage.” “You have to remember he came in mid-season. He didn’t have a pre-season. He didn’t have time to implement his ideas. Then by the time he got to the second season, he did have time to implement his ideas over the summer and we actually saw a really good start, we played really well in multiple games, but the weight of the previous season was still there.” “He perhaps wasn’t able to move on at the right time, so we felt had to make a change. And Michael Carrick came in in January and the team has turned it around.” Berrada said about Carrick, “What he brings is an understanding of the club’s heritage and DNA. He understands the elements we’re talking about — getting the communication right with the media, transmitting ideas, connecting with our academy, working with the wider football operation team.” “And importantly, he’s also brought a sense of calm. He’s somebody that as a player who has won everything with the club, so for him going to the Emirates Stadium and winning there is nothing special because he’s done it as a player.” “I think be able to transmit that to a group of players that have been dealing with the pressure that we talked about, and just to normalise going to the Emirates, to the Etihad, to Anfield and having performed their best level, became I think his number one contribution.” “He allowed the players to believe in themselves and to have the freedom on the pitch to express themselves.” There have been rumours that a section of the Glazers are looking to sell their United stake and permanently part ways with United. Asked about this, Berrada answered, “My sense is they are very committed to the club and they are here for the long term.” He was also questioned about talks over a new contract for club captain Bruno Fernandes. He only responded that Fernandes is happy and the club are equally happy with him. 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 Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!