Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim admits he was wrong about the ‘worst’ team in the club’s history comment | Football news
Ruben Amorim has decided to clarify his comments following Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat by Brighton, in which he described his team as ‘perhaps the worst’ in the club’s history.
Amorim’s comments came after watching them slump to a sixth domestic league defeat in 12 this season, with his focus solely on the collective rather than the individuals.
The defeat, which leaves United 13th in the Premier League table, has left United fans wondering how much longer they need to see the benefits of the system Amorim is trying to install, with United’s players still looking deeply unsure in several areas.
Amorim said before the game against Liverpool at the beginning of the month that his players play with fear. A 2-2 draw at Anfield and an FA Cup penalty shoot-out victory over Arsenal that followed should have been a confidence booster.
Instead, Amorim said his players were still “really nervous” as Brighton secured a third straight win in as many seasons at Old Trafford, days after an unconvincing home win over Southampton.
Ahead of Thursday’s Europa League clash at home to Rangers, the Portuguese tried to deal with the fallout from his words following the Seagulls’ setback.
“First of all, I want to talk about it [his comment about this Manchester United possibly being the worst-ever side in the club’s history],” he began.
“I spoke more for myself than for my players, because you have to find a coach who starts a job and loses seven games in the first 10. So it’s more for me, I spoke more about myself than the players.
“Also in the same answer I talked about not helping my players. And if you look around, every time I speak, and I speak a lot, every time you talk about players who are not good enough, I never make a point about my players, so let me understand, i gave you that title.
“I get frustrated sometimes, too. And sometimes I shouldn’t say it that way, but it is what it is. And that’s it.
“Sometimes it’s very difficult to hide the frustration in some moments. But the good thing is that I said the same things in a different way in the dressing room five minutes before. So the answer was quite normal, because I’m really open with my players.
“And they trained well, they are ready for this game, and we will see tomorrow.”
Amorim: I’m really direct – we’re really bad
United have won just three of their 11 league games since Amorim took over as the sacked Erik ten Hag’s successor, losing six.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher dismissed most of United’s current squad as a “joke” but insisted Amorim’s comments could land him in trouble.
Speaking further Monday Night Football, Carragher said: “I’ve got no time for this Manchester United team. I don’t feel for the players or their confidence – half of them are a joke anyway.
“But I’d be very surprised if the powers that be above him didn’t have a strong word. Don’t talk like the Manchester United manager… when you’re in a very bad situation, don’t pour petrol on the fire.”
So were the comments designed to shock his players?
“I didn’t mean it, that’s why,” Amorim replied apologetically on Wednesday. “I’m a young guy and sometimes I can make mistakes. That’s why I don’t like to talk after the game.
“I had to talk and maybe it was a mistake. And then I get even more nervous and go to the conference very nervous. And then you said things you shouldn’t have said.
“And that’s it. Sometimes you’re a young guy and you make mistakes. And you improve. I can’t promise you I won’t do it again. I don’t know. So I’ll try to improve.”
Amorim insists it is a collective responsibility to turn around the poor start to his tenure.
“I don’t take responsibility from the players,” he continued. “What I want to say is that the message you sent was that I passed it on to the players.
“What I was saying is that you have to look very hard for a team like Manchester United in 10 games who lose seven games. And that’s my responsibility. Because the same players are doing worse with a new manager.
“That’s my only concern at the moment. But I’m not taking anything away from the players. What I’m saying is that we have to improve in the details, and I’ve explained that.
“The way we play, we’re too nervous with the ball. Too nervous, too anxious. And then, if you have a little experience in this game, when you go down in this context, it’s really hard to go up.
“Especially when you’re at a big club. That was my only point. Was it best to do it after that defeat, the way I do it?
“Maybe not, but that’s how it is. And that’s how I am all the time. So I don’t take responsibility from the players.
“I’m saying I’m really, really straight about things. I’m saying we have a really bad record right now. And our results are really bad right now.
“So everything is together. The players, the staff, the technical staff. So I take responsibility.
“I’m just pointing out that I’m the biggest credit for the performance and results, because I’m the coach and I have that responsibility.”
Amorim: It is increasingly difficult to play at Old Trafford
Defeat at Brighton was United’s sixth defeat at Old Trafford this season, the most in their opening 12 home league games since 1893-94.
United were relegated on that occasion after finishing bottom of the Premier League, one of a handful of seasons which mean their current squad is not – at least statistically – the worst in history.
Amorim believes that his team is particularly suffering now that they are playing in front of their own fans at Old Trafford.
“I think it’s clear. I could say different things and say, no, no, it’s the same thing. We have the support of the fans. No, we’re more nervous playing at home than away, because we’ve lost a lot of games, like four games in five .
“So it’s getting harder. But we can improve. I think if we don’t concede the first goal, like in the fourth minute, and I remember, it’s the fourth minute, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, and then it’s really hard to calm down the team.
“The first thing in my mind is that I can’t score. We have to score first. If we score first, I think that will change and we will play better at home in the beginning.
“So that’s it. I think it’s really clear. We’re really worried playing, especially at home.
“And we concede goals and then it’s really difficult. So I think it’s clear to everyone that it’s getting harder to play at Old Trafford.”
Maguire: Getting the first means you’re not mentally focused
Amorim sat alongside former captain Harry Maguire at Wednesday’s press conference ahead of the Europa League clash with Rangers.
Maguire said he had no complaints about his manager’s approach and said it was up to the team to take responsibility for the situation at United.
There is no lack of experience or caliber in United’s squad, but this is not evident in a team that is struggling to adapt to Amorim’s system.
There was a sense that they were improving after a 2-2 draw away to Liverpool and an FA Cup penalty win away to Arsenal, but that largely disappeared after a poor performance at home to Southampton – saved by Amado Diallo’s late hat-trick – before defeat to Brighton.
“If I could explain it, I think we would change it straight away,” Maguire said of United’s woes. “We have players who have played numerous matches at the international level, won many trophies in club football.
“But at the moment we are not playing well enough as a team and the league table shows that. So I can only go on and on about it. We have to take responsibility as players.”
But in particular, when discussing why United conceded the first goal so often at home, the 31-year-old said: “You have to go into the game and be focused and mentally ready to go and win a game of football.
“Football games are sometimes defined by small margins and right now we’re not winning those small margins because we’re not mentally focused enough to make sure they go our way.”
