Ruben Amorim accused of 'excessive rigidity' by Portuguese media after Man Utd sacking - but Red Devils blamed for lack of 'strategy' as Old Trafford 'dream became a nightmare'

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Ruben Amorim has been told he will have to shoulder his portion of blame for the failures of his reign in charge as Manchester United boss. Amorim was informed of his sacking by United chiefs on Monday morning and has come in for stiff criticism, including from reporters in his native Portugal, with the focus on his insistence on sticking with his much-maligned 3-4-3 system.

Amorim pays price for poor performances

Amorim is out of a job, just hours after publicly challenging the United hierarchy in the wake of a disappointing 1-1 draw with Leeds and his 14-month tenure in charge ends without silverware and the team no closer to challenging for titles than when he arrived. 

His record was the worst of any permanent United manager in the Premier League era, with a win percentage of just 31.9 per cent. The team's performances and inconsistent behaviour led to his eventual dismissal by director of football Jason Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada. 

And the view from Portugal is damning, with observers pointing to his insistence on playing a style which failed to deliver results and left United fans disappointed watching a style of football which was low on entertainment. 

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View from Portugal: 'This stubbornness cost him'

Speaking in Record, commentator Nuno Felix said: "The coach cannot be exonerated. Amorim approached his first experience abroad with excessive rigidity in his ideas, almost dogmatic. He insisted on a model and principles that did not align with the squad's profile, showed little strategic flexibility, and was slow to understand that, in a club of this size, adaptation is a daily requirement. This stubbornness cost him time and credibility, both within and outside the club structure. 

"But recent United history shows that Amorim was not the exception, he was continuity. Before him, David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Erik ten Hag all failed. Coaches with radically different profiles, ideas, and resumes. And I'm setting aside Jose Mourinho's name because, if we look closely, with Mourinho, MU team was still competing in the Premier League and winning trophies. They all succumbed to the same structural problem: a club without a clear medium/long-term football strategy. 

"Unbalanced, inflated squads lacking competitive leadership. And above all, management oriented not towards sporting success, but towards the commercial exploitation of the brand. The "Glazer family" transformed United into a money-printing machine where football is secondary and the coach is disposable. 

"Amorim failed because he didn't adapt. United continues to fail because it no longer recognises itself in the mirror. And as long as former glories shape the public debate and the priority is profit, Old Trafford will continue to be a stage for dismissals, not rebuilding."

Elsewhere, in Portuguese publication Ojogo, they highlight Amorim's failure to move the club forward from their iconic ex-boss Fergie, saying: "At a club that has been a graveyard for managers since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure, the young 40-year-old Amorim emerged as yet another candidate to make people forget the legendary Scottish coach, but the Portuguese leaves the Red Devils with just 24 wins in 63 matches and without any titles."

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Taking aim at Old Trafford legends

However, Felix doesn't believe Amorim is solely to blame for what happened, and takes aim at a host of Old Trafford legends for the negativity directed towards the club. Speaking in Record, he said: "From early on, the Portuguese coach saw his work criticised, questioned and, at times, clearly undermined by former club figures who now occupy significant media space. Gary Neville, Roy Keane and other former United icons did not limit themselves to analysis: they publicly pressured him, predicted failure and normalized the idea that Amorim would never be 'the right man'."

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United begin search for replacement boss

The list of potential replacements for Amorim includes some of the biggest names in football, with ex-England boss Gareth Southgate high on the list and Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner among the early favourites. Enzo Maresca has just been sacked by Chelsea and could be an instant answer for United chiefs with club legend Darren Fletcher announced as the temporary boss until a decision has been made.