Manchester United manager Rúben Amorim has expressed gratitude for the support shown by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, but he was quick to warn that positive words alone are not enough in a results-driven sport.
Ratcliffe recently stated that Amorim should be given three years to turn the club’s fortunes around, despite a difficult first 11 months in charge. In his press conference ahead of a high-pressure trip to Anfield, Amorim acknowledged the backing but insisted that “football is not like that.”
“He tells me all the time, sometimes with a message after games,” Amorim said of Ratcliffe. “But you know, I know and Jim knows that football is not like that. The most important thing is the next game. You cannot control, even [the] owners, you cannot control the next day in football.”
While he welcomed the reassurance, Amorim warned against complacency. He said that leaning too much on long-term guarantees risks giving the impression that there is time to fix things, a mindset he does not want to foster at the club.
United’s current record under Amorim has been mixed. Across his first 34 Premier League games, he has only managed 10 victories, and the side has yet to string together back-to-back league wins. Amid underwhelming performances, Ratcliffe’s public support was meant to allay pressure, but Amorim insists the urgency remains unchanged.
Amorim says his own expectations are intense—sometimes even harsher than those placed on the squad. He insists that the focus must always be on improving immediately, rather than banking on a grace period. “The pressure that I put on the team or on myself is so much bigger than them,” he said.
Regarding his young goalkeeper Senne Lammens, who shone in a recent league win, Amorim cautioned that premature praise is risky. He said there must still be consistency.
In short, Amorim is clear: he values Ratcliffe’s public backing, but he knows that in football, support only counts if it is matched by results. Every game will be a test, and the club and its fans will expect nothing less.
