On the latest edition of The Wayne Rooney Show, Wayne Rooney said, “I am not seeing anything which is giving me any confidence, there needs to be big changes in my opinion.”
Manchester United felt they had secured a coup when taking Ruben Amorim away from Sporting Lisbon midway through the 2024/25 campaign. The Portuguese tactician was flying high in his homeland and had been strongly linked with Liverpool before they appointed Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp’s successor.
But Amorim has floundered across his months in the Old Trafford hot seat, with United finding themselves languishing in 14th place in the Premier League after six matches, having finished 15th last term after losing to Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
Amorim has come under heavy flak for his rigid belief in his 3-4-3 formation, willing to die on that hill in spite of a general weariness over its ineffectiveness in the English game.
INEOS are hesitant to dismiss the 40-year-old from his duties and will hold out hope that United put in a big performance at home against Sunderland on Saturday, but if they fail to kick on, a tough decision will need to be made, with Sir Gareth Southgate emerging as a contender for the managerial spot at the Theatre of Dreams.
Man United consider appointing Southgate
One thing’s for certain, Man United’s potential appointment of Southgate would be met with more than a measure of doubt.
The former Three Lions boss might have achieved more success than any other England Men’s boss since the World Cup was lifted in 1966, but he’s also been out of club management since being relegated from the Premier League with Middlesbrough in 2009.
But he’d come in cheap, and with a reputation for being a strong communicator and an “unbelievable” character, as was said by Jude Bellingham upon the manager’s resignation from his England post after the 2024 European Championship.
But concerns over his tactical grasp persisted throughout his tenure, and the current question mark over Amorim’s own system points toward a necessity for a clear, fluent brand of football going forward.
INEOS need to appoint a proven trophy-winning manager with a deep understanding of the game and a vision which suggests this viewpoint could be effectively applied in the Premier League.
As it happens, former Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez is on the market, and he’s even showing an interest in making the move to the Premier League and joining the Red Devils, should Amorim be dismissed.
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