Ruben Amorim is reportedly “losing the dressing room” at Manchester United, but Erik ten Hag’s example may suggest he has a significant amount of time to turn things around
Ruben Amorim is said to be “losing the dressing room” at Manchester United, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s on his way out of Old Trafford. This comes after Erik ten Hag demonstrated how to extend his tenure with the club despite similar rumours long before he was eventually given the boot.
Following a dismal Premier League finish in 15th place last season, United are currently 14th in the table after Sunday’s crushing 3-0 defeat at Manchester City. The Red Devils won’t be participating in European competition this season and have already been knocked out of the EFL Cup following an embarrassing loss to League Two side Grimsby.
This has led to rumours Amorim is finding it difficult to maintain the support of his players less than a year into his tenure. However, nearly 11 months passed between Ten Hag being subject to the same rumours and his eventual dismissal in October 2024.
Sky Sports first reported in December 2023 that Ten Hag had lost the backing of parts of the United squad. At the time, it was suggested some players were unsure about his playing style and were dissatisfied with his management of Jadon Sancho.
Ten Hag’s disagreement with Sancho was well-documented, with the Dutch manager expressing concerns about the winger’s training displays early in the 2023/24 season. The former City youth player returned to Borussia Dortmund on loan in January 2024 as United showed signs of improvement.
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If it hadn’t been for United’s FA Cup final victory over City in May 2024, Ten Hag would likely have been given the boot sooner. However, that win bought him some time beyond the 2024 summer transfer window, during which he received further support from co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos team.
Fast forward to the present day, and there are some uncanny parallels between those days of uncertainty and the current state of affairs at United. Amorim was given the resources to overhaul his squad in his first summer transfer window at the club, while offloading a lot of players considered surplus to requirements.
The notorious ‘bomb squad’, including the likes of Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony, have all been shipped out, either on loan or permanently. Yet it appears there are still some at Amorim’s disposal who are finding it hard to get on board.
United have only managed one win from their last five matches in all competitions this season. Even then, a controversial injury-time penalty was needed to edge past newly-promoted Burnley at Old Trafford last month.
It was always predicted the team would need time to adjust to Amorim’s favoured three-at-the-back system. But with around £250million splashed out on new signings since his arrival, patience is wearing thin as to how much longer it will take before the system starts delivering results.
There’s a growing sense of unease within the squad, with some senior players reportedly baffled by Amorim’s rigid tactics. These players feel the manager is sticking to a game plan that doesn’t suit the team, despite Amorim insisting he’ll stick to the methods that brought him success at Sporting CP.
Many are questioning how long the Portuguese will last in Manchester, with the consensus being his days are numbered unless there’s a drastic improvement in results soon. However, if United’s handling of Ten Hag’s situation, despite rumours of him “losing the dressing room,” is anything to go by, Amorim might still have plenty of time to turn things around.
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