The ONE manager Man Utd MUST appoint next | The Pitch

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What got Ruben Amorim sacked, and who should replace him? Flex from United View and Mail Sport Correspondent Nathan Salt give their Pitch for what should happen next. The Pitch sees two football obsessives take on the game’s biggest problems and argue their bold solutions.

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From Ruben Amram's appointment to his sacking, he and Manchester United made three vital mistakes. Out of the Carabell Cup, out of the FA Cup, and Michael Carrick is the new interim manager. Flex and Nathan Sold have had their say on who they think should be the next new manager and also have their ideas on how to save the club. But before we do that, let's think about Ruben Amram's appointment and the thoughts at the time. So, he officially signed for Manchester United on the 11th of November 2024. Nathan, was he their first choice originally? Look, Omar Barada really liked Ruben Amarim. You know, he made it his mission basically to go out to Portugal, convince him to come and they didn't really think that Ruben Am was potentially an option because Eric Tenhog's gone. You have to remember that they flirted with every manager around in the summer. Thomas Tukul had talks with Sim Ratcliffe in Monaco, Thomas Frank before he got the Tottenham job, Richard Pochettino now at the US. So they really did a lot of due diligence and yet came away thinking Ruben Amram has an idea that we like and we need a manager with a >> with principles and obviously we'll get all the way through to the end. It didn't quite work out like that but definitely they were very very keen and smitten with Ruben Amarim >> because he started mid-season but he didn't want to at first. Why was that? >> Yeah, look he built what he felt was a title winning squad at Sporting. So for him, why would he not want to see it through? And also he knew how complicated the system was. never shied away from the fact that it's very very difficult to get those ideas across particularly when Man United are playing Thursday, Sunday, limited training sessions, days off, recovery, and he knew that I'm not going to have much time with these players. I would rather come in in the summer, get a full preseason to to get through it all. >> So, Flex as a United fan, how optimistic were you when you brought in? I mean, let's not forget this is a team that just beaten Manchester City comprehensively in the Champions League Sporting Lisbon flying. How did you feel at the time? Yeah, I mean you're in that cycle as a Man United fan when you've got the hope and expectations and the optimism at at the beginning of every appointment. That's what we do. We do rinse and repeat. So, um, seeing what he was doing at Sporting and seeing how dominant his team was, seeing the 343 naively, hindsight is a is a wonderful thing. But I was very optimistic. I can't lie about that. Um, I was excited. Um I liked the fact that okay he was given that ultimatum to it's now or never was the line wasn't it um from Ora and co and he said well this is a big shot it's got to be now then so that's someone who really wants to be there um I'm a I'm a I'm a bit of a sucker for the way someone comes across as well and he charmed me he wooed me wearing great clothes hair you know fantastic speaker then he started talking about the the plans and how the the game's going to go and we're going to have to suffer and this that and the other. So, I'm I'm lapping it all up if I'm honest. I'm all in. >> It's funny you should say that because at the beginning doing a bit of research between December and um and and 6 months later he had 491 interviews. I mean, that must have been more than he had done any other point in his life. But you like the way he communicated with the fans. >> He communicated really really well. Um and it was something that we're not really used to as United fans. somebody, you know, and it's a complete polar opposite and contrast to what Eric Tenhog was, especially towards the end of Eric Tenhog, but even during Tenhog's better periods, the way he communicates, they just they couldn't be two opposite men, could they? Um, Amarim and and Eric Tenhog by just just the character of the men. So, it was quite refreshing to see how he was, but then you could see quite early that, oh, we've got quite an emotional character here. He's making a lot of mistakes. He's saying things that maybe he shouldn't say. He's too honest and you know by his own admission he used to say those things >> for you Nathan then as as someone that's in there in his press conferences. What was your introduc introduction to him like? What did you think of him at the beginning? >> Very charismatic like Flex said you know you had that really kind of cold demeanor that that often you get from Dutch managers and that was Tenhog and you know I did find Tenhog quite nice to deal with. He was polite but he wasn't going to go over the top. Wasn't going to wasn't going to charm anyone in the room. and Ruben Amar you drew you draw parallels to Jose Mourinho and you know they were very close obviously Amaran came to Manchester United when he was learning and came as a bit of an apprentice and got to speak to Jose so easy parallels to draw but I think think you're right I mean people might scoff at you know just the way he carried himself to close the way he speaks it does mean something and I will say that we're going to go down the line and chart this but Manchester United need a manager that can deal with all these interviews a lot of managers think they can until they've got to do 491 interviews through the for six months and by the end say 800 you know it's not what you're getting at palace full and Bournemouth it's different and he dealt with that really well >> because there was a little bit of a division in the hierarchy over who they went for and when they went for him but he did come in what was his relationship like with Inos at the beginning in those first few weeks and months >> I mean they liked him there'll be a lot of revisionism now that that that maybe oh we weren't so keen on him yes you were you were keen on him you liked his idea you basically begged him to come it's now or never it It was now and ever for Man United they felt to get him really as well because he was on the ascendancy. Remember Hugo Vanna had gone to Manchester City. I definitely believe that there was a feeling that he wouldn't he could potentially end up at Manchester City post Pep Guardiola had he never gone you know had he just kept winning at Sporting. I I firmly believe that Vanna would have at least had him in the mix and that was definitely I think on Manchester United's mind. They get him in and you what you're seeing now is I don't think something that tallies with the truth of the beginning. They loved his idea. They loved what he was about. They loved Azora and they were charmed by him and that's why they got him. >> They spent a hell of a lot of money, £8.3 million in bringing him in, £900,000 then to start work early. I mean, you must be thinking this is a man that they, you know, they really want and can then take us forward. >> It shows ultimate backing, doesn't it? Like like Nathan's saying, it shows that that is your guy. That is the one you're going after. You're giving them an ultimatum and not only you doing that, you're fronting up the money to make it happen. Um, so there can't be any discrepancies to as to whether they did or didn't want this manager like that. That's just they can't it just can't be said because the proof is in the pudding. We've seen the evidence to suggest on his way in that they really really wanted him. And what we've gone on to see in the earlier days of Reuben and you know in the middle period where it was quite tough, we've seen the hierarchy or the footballing department. Put it out there. Put it out there in big interviews. We've seen Sajim's backing of Ruben Amarim saying I want to give this manager three years. We've seen Jason Wilcox on the inside Carrington podcast and others sort of saying we've got a vision. This is great. We know we don't have all the pieces to the puzzle. I'm paraphrasing here, but we don't have all the pieces to the puzzle, but we'll get there. We believe in this system. It his system's a lot more adaptable than it may give off. All of these these big quotes that have been thrown around and then we've I know we're going forward a little bit, but so we've ended up here. So what my point is is that they've waxed lyrical so many times at the point where even an attempt to sort of bring the heat off Reuben out of how much they believe in him because when Sigin Ratcliffe was talking about that three years that was in an international break when it was quite tough and he kind of just made the noise go away as if to say listen >> you may think after game by game you we're gonna sack this manager. We're not doing that. right right up until the last couple of weeks where Ruben was here even Ruben himself was saying just because players have gone to AFCON just because we've got a couple of injuries we won't panic we won't commit the sins of the past so that shows >> seemingly that there is they're all singing off the same hym sheet the choir is in sync and they're all heading in the right direction and then obviously as we know problems started to arise >> yeah I was just going to say when I was at Crystal Palace one of the really interesting things when you're when you're waiting to see players walk past and you're seeing players chatting to agents. You're right next to the tunnel and it's right next to the away dressing room and I remember being stood there. You've got Bruno Fernandez's brother and Bruno Fernandez laughing and joking. You just beat Crystal Palace with Ruben Amarim. SM Cheshure cat smiles and there was Jason Wilcox coming through keen to speak to journalists that day actually you know just kind of have a little matter trust the process that's what he said and then he and then he carried on >> and you know that was that doesn't feel that long ago Crystal Palace when Mason Mount and it's all looking good and trust in the process they firmly believed I I I Flex is is saying the same as me both singing off the same him sheet they loved Ruben Amry loved everything he was about and it's just unraveled far quicker than I think anyone could have predicted >> well one of The key times that did unravel as we all will remember was at Grimby. We'll move on to Grimby, but that was just the tip of the iceberg with signs that the system wasn't quite working for the squad. Nathan, for you with this system, we know the 343 is what he wanted to implement and he was always going to implement it. But for the players who weren't used to this system, how big a tactical shock was it? >> I think the expectation is these are professional players, you know, why is it taking so long to understand the system? You know, if you're playing, say, as a right number 10 and then you suddenly play as a left number 10 and you can't function or you're a left wing and you can't play inside, it's quite difficult for fans to grasp that. But, you know, Ruben Am was telling us that, hang on, hang on a minute. I'm having to walk players. I'm physically dragging players into positions on the training pitch. You know, these are not little kids. These are professional footballers at one of the biggest clubs, not the biggest club in the world. And yet, you're dragging them into into a position. That was sounding alarm bells for a lot of people. And not just because of the system. It was kind of are these like what players have we got here that can't actually function outside of >> what players were there then >> everyone there was no one was particularly specifically called out there but it was kind of just like look Luke Shaw benefited immensely. Mason Mounts played the system before but others you know Ahmad Dio was a great success in the end but had to be coached into being a right wing back. You're looking at Doo's played all over the shop recently playing as a number 10. We we've seen you know Gart and Casemiro and Mayu barely played. So a lot of these players just couldn't get used to >> at the time he had Ganacho and Rashford trying to get those guys especially Ganacho to try and understand what that looks like. >> But as a fan though because obviously with Eric Eric Tenhog if someone says what is Eric Tenhog's way playing at Manchester United I mean I don't know about you two I wouldn't have an answer for that. I wouldn't know with Amarim though was at least that s that sort of excitement right at the beginning that maybe it doesn't work at first but we can see a trajectory. >> Well that was out of that was out of hope. It wasn't out of evidence. Yeah, >> because from the very very first game >> against Ipsswitch um you could see what he was trying to do and the first bit was the alarm bells of okay well Casemiro can't go that high. Oh my god, look at Johnny Evans. He's got to jump. That's we don't want that. Um you're looking at Ganacho, you know, back to goal in the half spaces, not his game. He needs to be high and wide facing the goal. So you saw all these sort of misprofiles, but obviously it's game one. M >> um then it got into the the next stages where you know we'd we'd beaten um we'd got a 2-2 draw at Liverpool and that was deemed as like our best performance. >> Could have won as well. >> Could have won it in the in in the end right at the end with Harry Maguire. Then we we also beat Manchester City Ahmed in the last minute. Um but as we know how last season ended there wasn't any real momentum and actually the biggest crit one of the biggest criticisms or significant things you look at with Amarim's tenure is there was zero new manager bounce there was s z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z zero of anything to cling on to when you had Ollie and this isn't me saying bring these guys back but Ollie initially first 17 games the interim we're all singing Ollie at the will we're going every stadium and we can't believe it it's it's transitional it's fast it's attacking it's counterattacking And then we went on that great away winning streak. Yes, there were no fans um because of because of COVID, but they they went on that run. There was something you you looked at. Eric Tanhog brought trophies, finished third in his first season, got to FA Cup final, lost, won a Carabal Cup. you're going there's something >> Amarim it was a it was just a constant battle like like Nathan was saying for him to get players to understand with him actually telling us after winning a game I think after we beat Everton 4-0il I remember that game he said you guys think this is good I'm telling you the storm's coming >> and then that was it the storm never went until he left well actually we're still in the storm >> when did that novelty wear off then because you you've mentioned before about quite liking his and you know the way that he carried himself >> because to what you're saying now is there's nothing actually you could see when when at what point did you like >> there were there were signs early last season I would say I'll be honest I think as results as we were getting so inconsistent in the league again you have to you have to realign where you are so when the league became a write-off because we were losing every single game the focus and the the psyche behind that was don't worry we'll be okay because what we're actually doing is okay the league's been a disaster too much to change in a short space of time we're in the Europa League will win that no problem. And then you see how that developed even even how we was against Leon. I mean I was there amazing game couldn't believe it couldn't breathe but it's we were two nil up we were two nil up then the man sent off and then started winning the game. So all of those things carried through to this very season to when got sacked. I think around for me it was over really after Spurs >> if I'm if I'm honest now as a fan emotionally I didn't call for Ruben Amram to leave cuz I thought through gritted teeth he's come halfway through the season I want to give this manager a chance get a full preseason we're clearly going to have one game a week more time on the training field doesn't have any of his players all we got was 1.5 million Aiden heaven which is a snip by the way for how good he's been and a young Patrick Dorgen from Leche didn't really get invested into in the summer in the January transfer window. So, let's give him time. But you look at the way we started this season and and it was it was shocking. So, for me there was early really as I look back it should have been lost to Spurs. >> Yeah, I agree. Bill Bao was where you you you lost some of the moderate some of the real fervent support for Ruben Amarind because at that point you know and I I wrote recently you know is Ruben Amarind right before the second I said is he a stubborn genius or is he fatally flawed and an elite manager look after Tenhog there was a huge appetite at Man United to have a manager have a head coach that's probably get to that but have someone who lives and dies by their system like has a philosophy you said you don't can't think of how Eric Tan's team player I know big hole in midfield. Yeah, that was how that's how it worked. >> But no one really he compromised his beliefs. Louis Vanal previously compromised his beliefs. Ravan wanted to play 422 first game in he was like can't play this. Ronaldo is not going to press for me. Ditch that. and you just you're just trying to survive as long as you can and then ultimately it's not your vision and you you you you sort of go out and with Ruben Amarim at Grimby and people are saying that is a horrendous result and it is it was a horrendous result but at what point are players hiding sort of cowardly hiding behind a system where those players out there should have beaten Grimby and I'm not I'm not dragging Grim they're a league two team they're a good club proper club but you know the players out there you got Chesco Ahmad you know even youngster like Tyler Frederickson played in the Premier League. Where's the personal pride? And everyone's looking at the dugout and a blow with the tactics board. I I was I was seeing people go against the manager then and I don't think it's fair now as I didn't then. >> Well, this takes us on very nicely to our next section which is about mental fragility, their weak mentality. I mean, this season United have lost 12 points from winning positions. That's a joint fifth in the league. But to be honest with you, I feel as though with Man United, we've heard it from Roy Keane for years now. You can't really put that just on Ruben Amram. Surely. >> Absolutely not. Absolutely not. I think there seems to be this weird consensus that everything at Man United is Ruben Amram's fault. Of course, it can't be. It can't be. It's never been any one said manager's fault. Um, and it's never been a a situation where we think that we're able to just we shouldn't change just one manager and everything will be fixed. The players are completely fragile. We used to say that under Ollie. We used to say that under Jose. We used to say that under Eric Tenhag. And what you don't realize that there's all these kind of different squads actually being built. So this isn't the same thing as like Bay Ro um off the top of my head now. um Jesse Lingard, Martial um Mati<unk> Herrera, Pogba, Lukaku. This isn't that team that threw the manager under us. This is now um a diff you know it wasn't just of just of just gone with with Eric Tenhog where it's you know Antony's come not done well it's not because he's gone it's not Rasmus Hland it's not it's not Scott Mctominy it's it's not Fred it's not it's not all these things it's not Amrabat it's so there is a constant situation which shows you that it's institutional with what's going on now we're in a situation at Man United I believe where there's so many factors that can be true at once and because so many things have gone wrong over such a sustained period. We as fans and sometimes in the media as well, it's very difficult and obviously clearly inside the c