Manchester United legend slams Ruben Amorim and his excuses as fallout from Old Trafford exit continues

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim was sacked earlier this week (Image credit: Getty Images)

Manchester United parted company with Portuguese head coach Ruben Amorim on Monday, January 5, following a post-match press conference outburst directed at senior figures and a reported 'bust-up' prior to the team's 1-1 draw with Leeds United.

Amorim's tenure lasted just 14 months, and saw the team finish 15th in the Premier League table at the end of the 2024/25 season.

Paul Scholes: 'Ruben Amorim ran out of excuses at Manchester United'

Paul Scholes smiles while playing golf at the JCB Golf and Country Club in Rocester, UK on 25 July, 2024.

Paul Scholes won 11 Premier League titles with Manchester United (Image credit: Alamy)

Speaking exclusively to FourFourTwo prior to Amorim's sacking, Paul Scholes revealed his doubts about the head coach.

"Ruben Amorim had an excuse last year, this summer he had everything,” Scholes said.

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"[He] had an excuse last year, he couldn’t train – well, he could train, but every three days they had a game.

"This summer he had everything, they spent £200 million, there have been three weeks between some games, everything he could have wanted to get his style across. [Manchester] United have got to win games of football."

Amorim avoided defeat in seven of his final eight matches as Manchester United boss but relationship breakdown with Old Trafford higher-ups cost him his position at the club.

It has been reported by various national newspapers that Amorim fell out with director of football Jason Wilcox in an explosive meeting prior to the score-draw at Elland Road, after which Amorim spoke out against the club hierarchy.

This outburst proved to be the final straw for Manchester United's decision-makers, who announced Amorim's removal the following morning.

Southampton's current Director of Football Jason Wilcox is being tipped for a move to Manchester United.

Manchester United director of football Jason Wilcox (Image credit: Getty Images)

Darren Fletcher, whom Scholes played alongside for several years, has been placed in interim charge for the team's upcoming fixtures whilst a more permanent solution can be sought.

Amorim oversaw the expenditure of over £200m on attacking trio Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha during the summer transfer window.

However, the club are sitting sixth in the Premier League table, 17 points off league leaders Arsenal, at the time of writing.

Joe Donnohue
Senior Digital Writer

Joe joined FourFourTwo as senior digital writer in July 2025 after five years covering Leeds United in the Championship and Premier League. Joe's 'Mastermind' specialist subject is 2000s-era Newcastle United having had a season ticket at St. James' Park for 10 years before relocating to Leeds and later London. Joe takes a keen interest in youth football, covering PL2, U21 Euros, as well as U20 and U17 World Cups in the past, in addition to hosting the industry-leading football recruitment-focused SCOUTED podcast. He is also one of the lucky few to have 'hit top bins' as a contestant on Soccer AM. It wasn't a shin-roller.

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