Ruben Amorim was dismissed as Manchester United manager because he was "too rigid" and "cornered himself," according to club chief executive Omar Berrada. Amorim, who was appointed manager 14 months prior, was sacked in January and has since taken a position at AC Milan.
Speaking at the FT Weekend Festival in New York, Berrada, 48, elaborated on the decision. "I think maybe where he got stuck is the size of the club — and a little bit on the reflection I made — the scrutiny of your ideas and decisions is so constant that perhaps he struggled managing that… Not that it was too big for him, but he maybe cornered himself in a position where he wanted to stick in a very rigid manner to his ideas because he wanted to show everybody that it’s going to work," Berrada stated. He added that the intense emotional volatility at Manchester United, where two or three consecutive losses could be perceived as catastrophic, made Amorim's situation difficult to manage.
Berrada also noted that Amorim began his role mid-season, without a pre-season to implement his strategies. While the team showed promise early in his second season after implementing his ideas over the summer, the weight of the previous season's performance lingered. "He perhaps wasn’t able to move on at the right time, so we felt had to make a change," Berrada said. Michael Carrick was appointed in January and is credited with turning the team's performance around.
Despite Amorim's less than two-season tenure, Berrada defended the initial decision to hire him. "I think the rationale for choosing him was sound," Berrada asserted, pointing to Amorim's success at Sporting Lisbon, his youth, dynamism, and clear communication of football ideas. The club had aimed to give Amorim the time and freedom to develop his concepts.
Michael Carrick took over on an interim basis in January and guided the team to a third-place finish, securing Champions League qualification with notable victories against Manchester City and Arsenal. His subsequent permanent appointment was influenced by his "calmness" and "understanding of the club," according to Berrada.
Berrada highlighted Carrick's understanding of the club's heritage and DNA, his ability to manage media relations and transmit ideas, and his connection with the academy and football operations team. "And importantly, he’s also brought a sense of calm," Berrada said. As a former player who had achieved significant success with the club, Carrick's perspective on facing pressure in matches at venues like the Emirates Stadium was seen as invaluable. Berrada believes Carrick's primary contribution was enabling players to believe in themselves and express their abilities on the pitch, normalizing high-pressure performances.
Carrick is now preparing for his first summer transfer window as manager, with the club focused on strengthening the squad for the upcoming season.