Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has admitted his emotional response to Wednesday’s shock EFL Cup defeat to League Two side Grimsby Town may have caused unnecessary speculation about his future, but insists he won’t curb his passionate nature.
Following the dramatic penalty shootout loss at Blundell Park, Amorim raised eyebrows by suggesting his team was ‘completely lost’ and that ‘something has to change.’ He also hinted at uncertainty over his position, stating he needed time to ‘think about things’ and consult the club hierarchy. Speaking two days later, Amorim attempted to explain his outburst, saying the comments stemmed from raw frustration.
“To be really honest, every time that we have a defeat like that in the future I'm going to be like that. I'm going to say sometimes I hate my players and sometimes I love my players. Sometimes I want to quit, sometimes I want to be here for 20 years. I need to improve on that, it's going to be hard but now I'm focused on the next game,” Amorim said as quoted by BBC.
Amorim clears air regarding his future
While some within the club interpreted his remarks as a veiled indication he might step down, Amorim denied that was his intention.
"I am not going to promise you anything about what the future is going to be. But I'm the manager of Manchester United and I don't think that is going to change,” he addressed. Despite calls from media and pundits for a more composed approach, Amorim was adamant that his authenticity is part of what fuels his passion for the game.
United, winless in their opening two league games, face Burnley on Saturday. Amorim insisted the team must refocus after what he admitted was an ‘unacceptable’ performance against Grimsby.
Much of the criticism has centred on Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation, but the Portuguese coach defended his tactical choices, saying he would only switch systems if he truly believed in the change. “It’s not about the system. We didn’t lose because of that,” Amorim said.