Amorim and the shameful absence of ambition
Structural flaws at United not helped by head coach's baffling decisions
It is a telling stat that Ruben Amorim will be Manchester United’s fourth manager in their four most recent trips to Elland Road on Sunday. He follows Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2021, Ralf Rangnick in 2022 and Erik ten Hag in 2023. This reflects the churn of managers, and their failure to turn projects into sustained progress, but also that they are symptoms of a greater malaise as much as the cause.
The fact that the debate intensifies today, Sir Alex Ferguson’s 84th birthday, following Amorim’s self-inflicted draw with Wolves, makes it even more poignant. How the once mighty keep falling. Adding to the sense of uncertainty and constant change in this five-year period, Michael Carrick and Ruud van Nistelrooy stood in as caretakers for three and four games respectively.
The spotlight inevitably burns strongly on Amorim – and not harshly as he deserves all the criticism flowing his way. If there could be some sympathy for Solskjaer, Rangnick and even Ten Hag (despite the often uninspiring football) and even more for the respected former players Carrick and Van Nistelrooy (neither of whom lost a game), any bucket lowered into the well of empathy for Amorim, trying to dredge up support, will rise back up empty. Patience runs out.
I make only brief apology for returning to the circus/chaos of United. I know other stories command attention from the sight of resilient, expansive Arsenal confirming they are up for the challenge of Manchester City in the pursuit of the title to Chelsea’s need for a commanding centre-back to the devastating news of Josh Cullen’s ACL and the ramifications for Burnley in their pursuit of Premier League survival and the Republic of Ireland in their pursuit of a place at the World Cup.
But it is hard to avoid the mess at the biggest club in the country. Manchester United’s fraught trip to Elland Road carries so much significance not only for Amorim. If 16th-placed Leeds win this game in hand, they will be nine points clear of 18th-placed West Ham United, who somehow have to try to reel in Nottingham Forest. If Leeds beat Manchester United, and Elland Road will be set up for an ambush, the fans’ patience with Amorim may finally snap.
Their record at Elland Road is actually not that bad. Ten Hag won there with goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford. Remember them?! Rangnick oversaw a classic club rollercoaster there: leading 2-0, pegged back to 2-2 before winning with goals from Fred and Anthony Elanga. Solskjaer drew there.
With Leeds in the league wilderness, Ferguson prevailed at Elland Road in the League Cup in 2011 with a Michael Owen double and a third from Ryan Giggs and also in 2002 with Eric Djemba-Djemba settling the tie three minutes from a shootout. In fact, the last time Manchester United lost at Elland Road, Fabian Barthez was in goal.
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History can provide only minimal comfort when the present is so riddled with nerves. United have had a paucity of strong leadership ever since Ferguson and chief executive David Gill, always a firm hand on the tiller, stood down in 2013. The club have drifted, losing the aura and identity they had under Ferguson.
The Glazers, so focused on the money-spinning side of the club, did not appoint well enough in key football positions.