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Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has insisted that he and his players are to blame for the club’s problems, both on and off the pitch.
Amorim also insisted that the team’s underperformance over the past few years has led the Red Devils to their current predicament, where massive redundancies are again under consideration to ensure cash is freed up to spend on transfers.
A report covered by The Peoples Person related that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to axe up to 200 more staff to address losses totalling £300million over the last three years.
Speaking to the press ahead of United’s meeting with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, Amorim admitted that they owe it to those whose jobs are under threat to deliver performances and results.
“I think it’s really important for us in the first-team, coaches and players, to not ignore that. People are losing their jobs, so we have to acknowledge that and the biggest problem is the football, because we spent the money and we’re not winning. We’re not in the Champions League, so the revenues are not the same.”
“We spent a lot of money in the past and now we have to be careful with the finances. We can’t rebuild the team the way we would like. When people are losing their jobs, of course it’s hard to have that feeling of people feeling safe in their jobs and it affects the environment.”
“We cannot ignore that, we acknowledge that problem and I want to say that the responsibility is on the first-team and we have to change that.”
“The first part, what we should do, is to win at Tottenham. That is a small step to try to help these people, to try not to push the prices of the tickets higher. We are responsible for that.”
Amorim has come under some pressure to compromise on his system in an effort to accommodate the players currently at his disposal.
However, the 40-year-old reiterated that he will not change his approach under any circumstances, despite the fact it’s not currently yielding the desired results, leaving him at risk of getting the sack.
“I accept that. It’s a choice you make when you’re a coach, but I truly believe in the way I do things.”
“I know at this kind of club, with this kind of pressure, you’re always at risk. I’m aware of that, but it’s not my biggest concern. Losing games is the hardest part of my job, not being sacked. I just want to win games.”
Asked if sticking to his principles, in the face of poor results, can be a weakness rather than a strength, Amorim answered, “Yes, it can be. I think it can be a weakness in that moment, but then, if you believe in one thing or another, then you have to stick with that.”
“I feel we focus a lot on the system, but the way we want to play this system is completely different than we’re doing at the moment. But we’re trying to improve so, to be direct with your question, yes, sometimes it’s a strength and sometimes it’s a weakness. I think everybody knows that.”
“You have one idea. We will try to adapt the way we play within the same system and then you can play in different styles. If you change the profile of two players, you change the way the team plays, so for me that’s more important than the system, where you start with the players.”
“The first thing is I just want to win the games. Believe it or not, that is my only focus.”
In last Sunday’s 2-1 FA Cup win over Leicester City, Amorim deployed Patrick Dorgu at right-wing-back instead of the opposite flank.
The Portuguese coach said about this, “Dorgu was doing that in Lecce and sometimes having a left foot on the right is important. Especially when teams mark us one-on-one or are man-marking.”
“I have the experience of playing that way against a 4-3-3 or a 5-4-1 and I know what kind of characteristics I need for it. But we also need time to work on everything. If I have an idea and if the connection is not yet there, I have to find that connection.”
“So I’m trying everything to win the games and that’s why at times I’m changing so many things…I just want to win games.”
Tottenham vs. United kicks off at 16:30 GMT.
Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images
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