Ruben Amorim damaged the big TV screen in Manchester United’s dressing room during a furious critique of his players’ performance in the 3-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.
United’s head coach let his emotions run wild after witnessing the seventh defeat in his 15 games in charge, fiercely expressing his displeasure with his team and showing his frustrations physically.
Multiple sources with knowledge of the incident, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, said Athletics that the TV was using tactics before kick-off has been taken as collateral and will need to be repaired before Rangers visit in the Europa League on Thursday evening.
Amorim’s reaction was striking for those who have ever encountered angry managers, but it was even more pronounced on this occasion because the Portuguese usually does not say a word immediately after matches. As he has done throughout his coaching career, Amorim prefers to remain silent just after the final whistle and analyze the next day in a more sober manner.
But his outburst after Brighton, where his team were easily beaten, bears similarities to the infamous hairdryer treatment inflicted by Sir Alex Ferguson when he was upset during exhibitions.
Amorim has previously stated that he was trying to shock his players and other members of the club with his comments, but the results continue to be very disappointing.
Amorim spoke to minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe for around 20 minutes after United beat Southampton, three days before the Brighton game, and the club’s bosses are backing the 39-year-old in making moves in the market to adapt to his system, thus opening negotiations for Lecce. winger Patrick Dorgu.
Ratcliffe watched the victory against Southampton at Old Trafford (Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)
Ratcliffe himself has been blunt in his assessments of the situation at United.
After the Brighton game, Amorim calmed down by the time he entered the Old Trafford press conference room, but his feelings were clear when he called this version of United “perhaps the worst of history.” Amorim was also annoyed by his players’ lack of tactical discipline in the latter stages of the match.
“I knew it was going to be difficult to come up with a completely new idea at the time, but when you lose games and don’t win three games in a row, it becomes really difficult,” he said. “That’s why I say we will suffer because I will continue to do the same thing.
“Helping my players is giving them the tools to play that way, but without training it’s really difficult. You can feel it at the end of the match, everyone was changing positions and it’s something I won’t see again. We can lose but we must maintain our position.
“I just want to help my players. If I want to show it to the media or the fans, I put two strikers. But I didn’t put two attackers because if I do, it will be more difficult for them to understand our way of playing.
“I’m just here to try to help my players but we have to understand that we are breaking all the bad records. This is a proud thing that we need to change.
GO DEEPER
Is this really “the worst team in Manchester United’s history”?
(Top photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images)
