Shaw Backs Amorim’s Stance on ‘Toxic’ Man Utd Culture

Shaw Supports Amorim’s Cultural Reset: ‘It Was Toxic at United’

Manchester United defender Luke Shaw has openly backed head coach Ruben Amorim’s no-nonsense approach to tackling what he described as a previously “toxic” and “unhealthy” culture within the club.

Shaw, 30, reflected on the harsh comments he made following United’s Europa League final defeat to Tottenham in May, where he questioned the squad’s quality and mentality after a dismal 15th-placed Premier League finish.

“A lot of the time I’ve been here over the last few years, it’s been extremely negative,” said Shaw.

“It can be quite toxic… not healthy at all. We need an environment that’s positive, with good energy and happiness.”

Amorim’s Hardline Message

In response to the club’s collapse last season, Amorim moved swiftly to enforce higher standards, dropping five senior players, including Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho, from pre-season activities.

“Ruben brings demands. Mentality is a big thing. He demands 100% and doesn’t want anything less,” Shaw explained.

“The manager doesn’t care who the player is. That’s how it should be.”

Shaw emphasized that senior players, himself included, have a responsibility to set the tone, ensure training discipline, and maintain high standards.

“The more experienced ones need to be demanding more… making sure no-one’s coming late. Whatever the manager wants, we deliver.”

No More Stragglers

While Shaw avoided directly referencing the ‘bomb squad’ — Rashford, Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Tyrell Malacia, and Antony — he noted that Amorim has successfully instilled a team-first mentality:

“There are no stragglers in this group anymore. Everyone needs to put the team first.”

He also admitted his post-final comments came from a place of frustration and hurt:

“I wouldn’t say I regret what I said, but after that final and that year, none of us were good enough… I had such an awful year.”

‘I Felt Like I Let People Down’

Shaw’s 2023-24 season was derailed by injuries, including a rare calf issue and another setback in February 2024. He missed over a year of club football before returning in April 2025.

“Mentally, last season was really tough… I felt like I let Erik [ten Hag] down and a lot of people in the club down.”

Despite the setbacks, Shaw is now fit and feeling positive. Amorim has praised him as “world class” and has primarily used him as a left centre-back in pre-season.

“I really like this formation… I missed last pre-season so I’m just happy to be doing this one.”