Manchester United’s coach, Ruben Amorim, has taken a bold stance by directly challenging his superiors, emulating the strategy of Enzo Maresca, former Chelsea coach.Amorim, like Maresca, seems to be risking his position by publicly expressing his frustrations.Maresca, who managed to qualify Chelsea for the Champions League and win the Conference League before winning the Club World Cup, had problems with the club’s hierarchy, but avoided pointing the finger directly at anyone.However, Amorim, after the 1-1 draw against Leeds United, demanded that United’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, and his scouting team “do their job”, while also demanding to be the “manager, not the coach” of the team.Amorim was announced as “coach” upon arriving at United in November 2024, so his request to be “manager” is a demonstration of power. By pointing at those responsible for player recruitment, he has unleashed an internal battle for control.The 40-year-old coach wants United’s board, composed of Wilcox, CEO Omar Berrada, and minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, to approve new signings to strengthen the team and secure qualification for the Champions League.After failing to sign Antoine Semenyo, who is expected to complete a transfer to Manchester City, Amorim stated that no further signings would be attempted.This situation seems to be unacceptable for Amorim, who expressed his frustration in a press conference and then reiterated his comments.By suggesting that the media receives “selective information”, Amorim seems to believe that there is a campaign to counter his messages, which is not favorable for any coach.
By stating that he is the “manager, not the coach”, Amorim seeks the control that his current position does not grant him.
This is reminiscent of Maresca’s situation at Chelsea, both in his control over the opinion of the medical team and in his inability to influence the recruitment department.
