Rubén Amorim and the Rebuild: Visionary Project or False Dawn?
When Manchester United hired Rubén Amorim, the word from inside Carrington was “project.” Not short-term fix, not silver bullet—project. It was a nod to the modern game’s appetite for philosophy and patience, for identity over impulse. And yet, after a season that has unravelled into a brutal tapestry of missed chances, muddled tactics, and now, no European football at all, the question must be asked: has the project failed before it ever really began?
United’s campaign has been, by almost every measure, a disaster. Domestic inconsistency, lack of cohesion in and out of possession, and a growing sense that the players are neither physically prepared nor mentally convinced. Amorim arrived with a glowing résumé from Sporting CP and the promise of high-pressing, vertical football—attacking verve with a tactical spine. What we’ve seen, more often than not, is something closer to tactical vertigo.
Of course, he wasn’t brought in to win the Premier League in year one. The talk was always about giving him time—time to instil his ideas, build a squad in his image, and recalibrate the culture of a fractured dressing room. But United fans aren’t daft. Time is a luxury, yes, but it has to be earned with at least a semblance of direction. And the brutal truth is that many don’t see one right now.
There are mitigating factors. The squad is an odd blend of overpaid veterans and inconsistent youngsters, many of whom feel like square pegs in round holes. The sporting structure above Amorim remains in flux. Injuries, yes. Boardroom disarray, yes. But even with all that, should this group be languishing outside the top six with nothing to show for the season but regret and reruns of past glories?
Amorim’s defenders will point to Jürgen Klopp’s early days at Liverpool, or even Mikel Arteta’s rocky start at Arsenal. Both men needed time. Both had poor spells. Both eventually imprinted their DNA onto their teams. But there’s a key difference: you could see what they were trying to build. Right now at United, there’s a growing sense that the house is being built without blueprints.
So, should Amorim be sacked?
It depends what United want to be. If the ambition is to mimic Bayern or Madrid and win now, then no, he’s not the man. If they’re serious about becoming a club with a footballing philosophy, one that builds something lasting, then sacking Amorim now would be another act of institutional cowardice. Another wasted opportunity.
But patience has its price, and fans are paying it week after week. There is still belief that Amorim can be the architect of something better. But belief, like time, runs out—especially in Manchester.
The question isn’t just whether he’s failed. It’s whether the damage already done can still be undone.
And that’s a decision United can’t afford to get wrong. Again.
