Does Sir Jim Ratcliffe defend or increase pressure on Ruben Amorim?

“Ruben Amorim must prove himself as a good coach over the next three years” — Sir Jim Ratcliffe's statement carries many implications. But at least from a positive perspective, Amorim has strong support. The remaining question is, when will he bring stability to the Red Devils?

The 40-year-old Portuguese manager is under pressure after 10 months in charge at MU, with the word "sacking" being mentioned hourly, weekly, and monthly whenever the club performs poorly. Truthfully... it’s not wrong, as the Red Devils’ performances have been like a roller coaster. Up and down with no real consistency. The former Sporting Lisbon coach, appointed by MU in November 2024, only managed to help the team finish 15th in the Premier League last season.

This was also their lowest position in England's top flight since the 1973/1974 season, and afterwards, MU missed the chance to qualify for the 2025/26 Champions League after losing to Tottenham in the Europa League final. Moving into the new 2025/2026 season, Amorim and his squad are facing a tough start. Currently, they sit 10th in the Premier League with 3 wins, 1 draw, and 3 losses. This is not the record of a prestigious, title-chasing club with MU’s tradition. The worse part is, MU is not playing in European competitions, yet their performance falls short of expectations.

In light of the team's disappointing results, billionaire Ratcliffe seems steadfast in his choice of personnel. He even emphasized that Amorim is facing unfair criticism: "The British media sometimes baffles me. They expect immediate success. That’s too difficult. Do they think it’s like flipping a light switch and everything becomes perfect the next day? No, that’s impossible. We must be realistic. You can’t run a club like MU based on rash reactions from some journalist who criticizes every week. Amorim is going through a rough season. He needs to prove himself as an excellent coach over the next three years. That’s my view."

Everyone can see MU is in the middle of a risky rebuilding phase. Do you remember the last time MU topped the Premier League? That was in 2013, also when Sir Alex Ferguson retired. In 12 years, MU has fallen far behind Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, and even many other clubs. Mourinho, Van Gaal, David Moyes, Ten Hag, Solsa... all came and went. The club has been firing and parting ways as if in an endless cycle. Overall, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s statement clearly shows MU needs to stop the constant revolving door of managers. As co-owner and architect of the “new football project,” Sir Jim Ratcliffe understands this better than anyone. Therefore, he wants a long-term, sustainable project rather than quick fixes.

However, this does not mean Sir Jim Ratcliffe has full confidence in Amorim if we look at the club’s results. At another club, as Amorim himself knows, he likely would have been gone already after saying, "If they want to fire me, fine, I won’t change my tactics." From another angle, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has high hopes and is providing all the necessary conditions for Amorim to showcase his talent. But Amorim should carefully consider what Sir Jim Ratcliffe actually said. Yes, Sir Jim Ratcliffe said “Amorim has three years to prove his ability” but he did not say he won’t be sacked if the situation demands it. This means Sir Jim Ratcliffe is flexible and adaptable, and rest assured, MU's board already has several options and is not waiting until the last minute to act.

Soon, Amorim and his players will have to give their utmost effort to achieve the best possible results. MU is about to face a stormy schedule with four tough matches against Liverpool, Brighton, Nottingham Forest, and Tottenham. If the Red Devils win all four games, that would be fantastic; winning two or three out of four would still be very good. Winning only one would be quite poor. Worse, if MU loses all four matches? Amorim’s position would then be very difficult to maintain. At that point, the Portuguese coach would likely have enough dignity to resign voluntarily (possibly, not guaranteed). Since joining MU, Amorim has twice offered to resign if the board believes it benefits the club. Believe this: when things spiral out of control, Sir Jim Ratcliffe will act decisively, just as he has fired hundreds of staff when he deemed it necessary.

A positive takeaway Amorim can hear from Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s statement is that the billionaire is helping stabilize everything, including shielding him from undue pressure from the media. Sir Jim Ratcliffe is temporarily halting the crisis, dispelling doubts surrounding the young Red Devils’ leader. Thanks to this, Amorim can relax somewhat and clear his mind briefly to quickly foster a better atmosphere, improved mentality, and strive to achieve the best results. Now, let's wait and see how Amorim and the MU stars perform.

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