After overseeing Manchester United’s worst season in over half a century, manager Ruben Amorim has vowed to face the club’s supporters with honesty and humility. Ahead of the final game against Aston Villa, the Portuguese coach promises an on-pitch apology, acknowledging the pain of a turbulent campaign while looking ahead to rebuilding and change.
A tradition of accountability
Ruben Amorim will address the Manchester United fans at Old Trafford on Sunday after a season the club would rather forget. With the campaign marking their worst league finish in 51 years, the Portuguese coach is preparing to offer a sincere apology on the pitch following the final Premier League match against Aston Villa.
“We will do that, it’s tradition and we have to face it,” Amorim said. “It will be the biggest mistake if we don’t do that.” He recognised that the role of a manager includes facing the public, and for him, this moment is a minimum gesture of respect.
“I know that the manager addresses the public. I will do that because it’s the minimum, the least I can do is to talk with the fans and to say what I want to say. I will decide tomorrow [what to say], I have an idea, so we will do that because if there is a season that we need to do it, it’s this one, and of course we will be there.”
Amorim is clear that while an apology is necessary, there isn’t enough time to delve into the myriad problems that plagued the club this year. “An apology I think is clear – an explanation, you don’t have time. So we will try to be honest. I think I will be honest with the fans and I will say what is in my mind and what is in my heart.”
Learning from a painful season
Despite the difficulties, Amorim does not regret taking over midway through the season. Initially, he had asked if he could wait until summer to join, but now believes that starting in November was the right decision. The painful six months of “suffering” have given him crucial insights into the club’s deeper issues.
“In this moment I’m really glad that I arrived six months before we start a new season,” he said. “I think we are going to avoid a lot of mistakes that would be in the next season. Now is the time that we can use all that suffering to change things in the summer – and when I say in the summer, it’s not just the players.”
Amorim emphasised that changes need to happen beyond the pitch. “There are a lot of things that we need to change in our club. So we are doing that – we did it for six months. We changed in every aspect of our club so I’m really glad in this moment. We suffered a lot but I’m really glad I arrived six months earlier because it’s going to help me a lot in the next season.”
A tough road ahead
The final Premier League standings could see Manchester United finish 17th if they lose against Villa and Tottenham win their match, underscoring just how dismal the campaign has been. After a humiliating Europa League final defeat to Spurs and a season fraught with turmoil, Amorim admitted the club faces a difficult recovery.
“It’s not [transfer] windows and sometimes we don’t know. Things can change fast but to reach that kind of level [that] we need [to] as Manchester United, [it] is going to take time,” he said. “I cannot say how many windows, how many years to reach that point but we can improve. That is clear.”
The club has undergone significant changes internally, from coaching staff to playing style, which has made the season particularly challenging. “This six months was really hard. Not just for me but for all the club. We did so many changes inside our club that sometimes it takes three or five years to change all the personnel or a lot of things. We changed coach in the middle of the season, the way we play we changed. So it was a really tough season.”
Despite the hardships, Amorim urged fans and players alike to remain positive and focus on the future. “Now it’s the part that we need to enjoy and to focus on the future and be positive. We know what to do. I know how I want to play, for all the mistakes you can point to me. This is the moment that we can change something.”
Uncertainty over the squad
The future of key players remains unclear, adding to the club’s uncertainty. Alejandro Garnacho was visibly upset after being dropped for the Europa League final, and captain Bruno Fernandes faces a potential move to the Saudi Pro League, with Al Hilal reportedly offering a deal worth up to £100 million.
Amorim declined to be drawn on individual futures, focusing instead on the immediate challenge. “I will speak with my players but the focus now is the last game. I don’t know what is going to happen. We have a plan. We were prepared for both situations – with Champions League, without Champions League.”
He added: “We [have] an idea of what type of squad we want but now we have to focus on the game because we still have the last game. We’ll have time to address all of those situations. We are going to assess the squad. We know what to do and will assess that when the season is finished.”
More time to rebuild without European football
Next season’s absence from European competition, while a blow to the club’s prestige, could offer a silver lining. With fewer matches to juggle, Amorim expects to have more time to work closely with his squad in training.
“What changes is one less competition and not having that game in the middle of the week,” he explained. “You can manage the squad in a different way. That rotation of the players, the depth of the squad, that changes completely if you have four competitions or three. So that changes the plan a bit. But not the way I look to my players just by looking at the final.”
This reduced fixture congestion might allow Amorim to implement his ideas more effectively and avoid the physical toll that plagued the side this season.
Ruben Amorim’s first season at Manchester United will be remembered as one of the club’s darkest chapters. Yet the Portuguese manager approaches the future with determination and humility. His promise to apologise to the fans at Old Trafford acknowledges the pain endured but also sets a tone of accountability and resolve. Now, with a summer of reflection and restructuring ahead, both manager and club hope to lay the foundations for a brighter era.
