Manchester United has officially sacked head coach Ruben Amorim, an announcement made on Monday morning, less than 24 hours after a contentious news conference where Amorim urged club bosses to "do your jobs" following a 1-1 draw with Leeds United. This decision marks the end of a turbulent 14-month spell for the Portuguese manager, who took over from Erik ten Hag in November 2024.

While club sources initially denied that the decision was solely due to a breakdown in Amorim's relationship with director of football Jason Wilcox, stating instead that the hierarchy "have not seen enough signs of evolution of progress," other reports paint a more complex picture. Sources indicated that the sacking occurred in the aftermath of an explosive meeting with Wilcox on Friday, where Amorim reportedly reacted "too emotional" to advice regarding his preferred 3-4-3 system and the team's style of play. This was followed by his fraught news conference after the Leeds draw, during which he demanded to be "manager, not the coach" and pointedly told Wilcox to "do his job," further highlighting a deep rift in relationships within the club hierarchy. Amorim also expressed frustration over a lack of movement in the January transfer window.

The club's official statement confirmed Amorim's departure, citing the decision as a reluctant but necessary step to give the team "the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish," with United currently sitting sixth in the league. Amorim's coaching team has also left the club. During his 14 months in charge, Amorim oversaw 63 matches, achieving 25 wins, 15 draws, and 23 losses, resulting in a win rate of 39.6% and an average of 1.23 points per game—the lowest of any United manager in the post-Ferguson era. This made his reign the shortest of any permanent manager at United since David Moyes.

Amorim's tenure was marked by several controversial moments and poor results. His debut saw a 1-1 draw with newly promoted Ipswich Town, prompting his candid remark, "We are going to suffer for a long period." Despite early glimpses of promise, such as a 4-0 thrashing of Everton where Marcus Rashford starred, that performance proved to be an anomaly, and Rashford was later dropped and eventually loaned to Villa. Amorim's frustrations boiled over when he declared, after a string of losses, "We are being the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United." Other low points included dropping goalkeeper Andre Onana for Altay Bayindir, only for Bayindir to struggle; a dismal 1-0 defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final; and a humiliating EFL Cup penalty shootout loss to fourth-tier Grimsby Town, where Amorim was seen using a tactics board on the touchline and later slammed his players.

His unwavering commitment to his 3-4-3 system, declaring "Not even the Pope will change [the system]," despite inconsistent results, was seen by sources as a sign of his stubbornness and immaturity, making him ill-equipped for the demands of such a high-profile job. The final straw, his "manager, not the coach" comments, were widely criticized, with former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher remarking he was "barely competent to be a Premier League manager."

In the immediate aftermath, Under-18s coach Darren Fletcher, a former United midfielder and technical director, is set to take interim charge for Wednesday's Premier League game against Burnley. While the club is still mapping out a succession plan, sources indicate they are leaning towards naming an interim boss until the end of the season before making a permanent appointment in the summer. Potential candidates being discussed include Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Carlo Ancelotti, Oliver Glasner, Kieran McKenna, and Gareth Southgate.

Amorim's departure highlights a continuing struggle for Manchester United to find a stable and successful managerial appointment since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013. The club has gone through 10 managers in this period, with each appointment critiqued for various "personality flaws" or a lack of suitable credentials. Critics suggest that the club, an "extrovert club managed by introverts," needs a manager with the ego and personality to handle the immense pressure, media scrutiny, and demands for both results and stylish football that come with the Old Trafford job. The latest managerial change under Sir Jim Ratcliffe's new sporting directorship further underscores the ongoing challenges in bringing stability and success back to the club.