Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim said he cannot explain why the club’s fans and board are backing him despite the team’s dismal domestic form ahead of Wednesday’s all-English Europa League final.
The Red Devils are having their worst top-flight campaign for 50 years, since they were relegated in 1974 but the coach is not under the same pressure as his opposite number in the final, Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou.
United have not won any of their last eight Premier League matches but their thrilling run to the Europa League final has given fans some moments of ecstasy.
“I know that in this kind of club, also in Tottenham, especially Manchester United, it’s strange because you have some coaches here that lose some games and they are sacked… it’s hard to explain,“ Amorim told a news conference Tuesday.
“I think people see what we are trying to do, I think that people see that sometimes I’m thinking more about the club than myself.
“People understand, especially the board, that we have a lot of issues that in the context, is really hard.”
Postecoglou is expected to be sacked by Spurs if they lose the final in Bilbao and his future will also be on the line even if they triumph. The Australian coach defended himself on the eve of the cup final, insisting he was not “a clown” and said he would keep on winning trophies, wherever his future may lie.
However win or lose, there is little to suggest Amorim will not be at the helm of United when next season begins.
“I don’t know how to explain why the fans like me in this moment, it’s hard to explain,“ continued Amorim.
“I will try to prove myself to the fans, to the board, but I don’t have an explanation…
“But we will reach a moment where we have to win, no matter what.”
‘A massive club’
Amorim reiterated his words from recent weeks, saying that the club’s problems run far deeper than winning the Europa League can solve, even with the £100 million ($134 million) honey pot on offer through Champions League qualification.
“We already know the problems, there’s a lot of things we need to change in our club… it will not be solved by winning a cup,“ said Amorim.
“We have bigger things to deal with than that, to put this club back to the top.”
However the coach said victory at the San Mames could pave the way towards a brighter future.
“(If we win) people will look at our team in a different way, because winning a European title is really important,“ said Amorim.
“But again, nothing is going to change (about) our season, players know, the staff know, the fans know.
“But winning a European title can help us have that feeling that can help us build a future.”
The Portuguese coach, who arrived from Sporting Lisbon in November after Erik ten Hag was sacked, said Champions League qualification revenue was not pivotal to United’s future.
“I came from a club where in order to survive and maintain players, you need to be in the Champions League,“ said Amorim.
“This is not the case (here), our club can have revenues without the Champions League.
“It’s a big club, a massive club with a lot of fans around the world, it’s a big brand.”
United were handed a boost ahead of the final as Joshua Zirkzee, Diogo Dalot and Leny Yoro trained after injury and Amorim said the trio could feature in the final.
“We respect the feeling of the player but we push a little bit because they want to be part of the team and that is a very good sign and it’s very good for us,“ added Amorim.
“Of course they are limited in the minutes for the game but they can help us win the game.”
