The managerial merry-go-round at Manchester United continues, with the recent sacking of Ruben Amorim sending shockwaves through the football world. The Portuguese manager, who was appointed in November 2024, was dismissed on January 5, 2026, after just 14 months in charge. The club cited the need for a change to improve their Premier League finish as the reason for Amorim's departure. Now, a former assistant to Jose Mourinho has weighed in on the situation, offering a scathing critique of the club's structure and approach.
Rui Faria, who served as Mourinho's right-hand man at various clubs, including Manchester United from 2016 to 2018, posted a cryptic message on social media that many interpret as a direct attack on the Red Devils' hierarchy. The post, titled "MIND PIECES," featured a background image of a coach in a tracksuit with the Manchester United crest visible.
Faria's message lamented the shift in football club priorities from winning trophies to corporate compliance. He argued that managers are increasingly becoming scapegoats for the failings of business-oriented structures within clubs, implying that Amorim's sacking is a symptom of this larger problem. "A great club's philosophy used to be about silverware," Faria wrote. "Coaches were hired for their winning streaks in the field". He contrasts this with the modern approach where "the coach is another piece, with relative power, in the face of the 'almighty' organization," further stating that "the coach is easily replaceable, at any time, playing the role of apparent 'culprit' in a face of unsuccessful project".
Amorim's tenure at Old Trafford was turbulent. While he led the team to the UEFA Europa League Final in May 2025, the club's league form was inconsistent. Despite significant investment in players, Amorim struggled to implement his preferred tactical approach, leading to clashes with the club's hierarchy. Reports suggest that Amorim's reluctance to adapt his formation and his public criticism of the board contributed to his downfall. Specifically, a disagreement over transfer budgets and Amorim's insistence on playing a 3-4-3 formation are said to have been major sticking points.
The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell reported that a meeting between Amorim and director of football Jason Wilcox highlighted the growing disconnect between the manager and the team. Wilcox reportedly pointed out that the players weren't on the same wavelength as Amorim, a criticism that the Portuguese manager did not take well.
Mourinho himself responded to Amorim's sacking with a measured statement, noting that only Amorim and his staff could truly analyze the reasons for his dismissal. He also dismissed the suggestion that Amorim's fate would negatively impact the prospects of other Portuguese managers, stating that "each coach answers for himself".
With Amorim gone, Darren Fletcher has been appointed as interim manager. The club is now searching for a permanent replacement, with former managers Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick reportedly in contention. The situation at Manchester United remains unstable, and Faria's comments underscore the deep-seated issues that the club needs to address to return to its former glory.
