Ratcliffe: Amorim Needs 3 Years at Man Utd

Ratcliffe: Ruben Amorim Needs Three Years to Prove Himself at Manchester United

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has backed Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, insisting the Portuguese coach should be given at least three years to demonstrate he is a “great” coach, despite a string of poor results since his arrival at Old Trafford.

Amorim, who joined from Sporting CP in late 2024, endured a disastrous first full season, guiding United to a 15th-place Premier League finish — their worst since the 1973–74 relegation campaign.

United have also exited the EFL Cup early after a shock loss to League Two side Grimsby, and have already suffered three league defeats this season despite spending over £200 million in the summer transfer window.

No Sack Talks Despite Speculation

Speculation over Amorim’s job intensified before United’s 2-0 win over Sunderland, with rumours suggesting his role was at risk had the team failed to win. But Ratcliffe, speaking on The Times’ The Business podcast, dismissed those reports.

“He has not had the best of seasons,” Ratcliffe admitted.

“Ruben needs to demonstrate he is a great coach over three years. That’s where I would be.”

Ratcliffe criticised media demands for immediate success:

“They think it’s a light switch… You can’t run a club like Manchester United on knee-jerk reactions to some journalist who goes off on one every week.”

Amorim’s Tactics and Media Scrutiny

Ruben Amorim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe shake hands after Man Utd’s Europa League Final defeat by Tottenham in May

At just 40 years old, Amorim has come under fire for sticking rigidly to his 3-4-2-1 system, with critics suggesting tactical stubbornness. But Ratcliffe defended the manager, pointing to media ignorance about long-term project building in elite football.

“The press… sometimes I don’t understand,” he said.

Ratcliffe, whose INEOS group owns just under 30% of United, maintains full control over footballing operations. While the Glazer family still hold the majority share, Ratcliffe says there’s no chance they will interfere with managerial decisions.

“They are passionate about the club. That’s not going to happen,” he said, referring to potential Glazer interference in Amorim’s job security.

United to Become ‘Most Profitable Club in the World’

Despite poor on-pitch results, Ratcliffe highlighted significant progress on the business front. Annual losses were cut from £113.2m to £33m, following a major cost-cutting drive that included 400 staff redundancies, and the removal of perks such as free lunches.

“There are fantastic people at Manchester United but there was a level of mediocrity and it had become bloated,” said Ratcliffe.

He defended his business strategy:

“There are two halves to a football team – the business and the sports side… Profitability is key.”

According to Ratcliffe, Manchester United is now on a path to becoming the most profitable football club in the world — a foundation he believes will lead to sustained on-field success.