 "Ruben Amorim lasted just 63 games as Manchester United manager across competitions, finishing with a poor win percentage of just 38. AP")
Manchester United fired Ruben Amorim as manager on Monday , the 40-year-old lasting just 14 months in the role after succeeding Erik ten Hag. The sudden decision to removed the Portuguese manager comes as a surprise since United appeared to have made progress after their shocking 15th-place finish at the end of the previous season.
While United haven’t quite been able to establish themselves among the top-four this season, they have been consistently challenging for a UEFA Champions League berth and currently are sixth on the Premier League table with 31 points.
The steady progress, however, might not have been enough for the Old Trafford hierarchy, which had spent well over £200 million on summer transfers. Additionally, Amorim’s exit as United coach also follows an explosive press conference in Leeds in which the former Sporting CP boss claimed he deserved more power and authority than what was being granted to him.
Amorim’s sudden exit leaves football world divided
United’s decision, meanwhile, has raised eyebrows across the English football community with some of their fans claiming Amorim deserved more time at the club in order to fulfill their goal of returning to European football. Others, however, backed the club’s decision citing his poor win percentage of 38, adding that the decision should have come much earlier instead of January.
The latest firing continues the trend of managers not lasting three full seasons at United following legendary manager Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. Here are some of the reactions to Amorim’s abrupt exit from Old Trafford: