Ruben Amorim’s short and tumultuous time at Manchester United is over, but it is the manner of his departure that has left the club’s staff and supporters in disbelief.
The 40-year-old was formally sacked from his role on Monday morning after a 14-month spell that saw Man United languish at the bottom of the league for the first time in more than half a century.
The decision was made after a chaotic 1-1 draw with Leeds United, which left the Red Devils languishing in 6th place.
But it wasn’t just the result that determined the Portuguese coach’s fate. It was an explosive outburst at the post-match press conference, in which he lashed out at the club’s hierarchy.
Ruben Amorim was all smiles as he left Carrington.
Most managers leave the training ground with sadness, but reports say the atmosphere around Amorim’s departure was unusually celebratory.
According to the Daily Mail, staff at Carrington College were “surprised” by what they witnessed on Monday afternoon.
Chris Wheeler of the Daily Mail reported: “Indeed, Carrington’s staff on Monday were surprised to see Amorim and the coaching staff leaving the training ground laughing and joking. The frowns of the last few days are long gone. He is now free and it is time for United to move on.”
Ruben Amorim got exactly what he wanted
Many believe that Reuben Amorim achieved exactly what he wanted.
His final press conference at Elland Road was nothing short of an “explosive rant”, in which he explicitly called on the scouting department and sporting director Jason Wilcox to “do their job”.
By repeatedly claiming he was a “manager” rather than a “head coach,” Amorim appeared to be emboldening the board to fire him.
According to reports, his relationship with INEOS had reached a breaking point during a heated tactical dispute a few days ago.
After all, many feel that rather than resign and leave empty-handed, Mr. Amorim chose to “blow everything” to ensure he was fired and guaranteed a huge payout for the remainder of his contract.
For a manager who once brought so much hope, his departure as a “laughing and joking” figure suggests he walked away from the project long before the ax actually fell.
