Man Utd: Ruben Amorim's 'worst team' comments analysed
2025-01-20
Category: sports

Ruben Amorim thought he would make headlines, and he was absolutely correct.The Manchester United manager described his team as "maybe the worst" in the 147-year history of the club after their 3-1 defeat against Brighton on Sunday.Pundits are divided over the wisdom of the comments - but how will such searing criticism impact the players?"It could be a powerful moment for the team," Dr Martin Turner, a sports psychologist at Manchester Metropolitan University, told BBC Radio 5 Live."It is pretty rare that somebody would be so candid and so bold in some of those statements. "He is saying 'right, here is the reality' and he wants some sort of change, wants to move something or be the catalyst for for something."United's defeat by Brighton was the fourth loss in their past five home Premier League games and leaves them 13th in the table.They have collected 11 points in 11 league games since Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag in November.In his post-match media conference, Amorim said: "In [the past] 10 games in the Premier League, we won two. Imagine what this is for a fan of Manchester United. Imagine what this is for me."We are the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United. I know you [media] want headlines but I am saying that because we have to acknowledge that and to change that. Here you go: your headlines."Dr Turner believes those comments were a direct message to his players."With the managers I work with we principally see the post-match press conference as being for your players. Jurgen Klopp was really good at this," he said. "You should use it as an opportunity to communicate to your team and that is where it is used most powerfully."Players like to be challenged. What they don't like is things being made up around them. They want straight feedback which gets them from A to B, with B being better performance. "The players want to win games, they want to perform well and if this is part of the process to get them to that point then I think most players will be fine with what's happened, if it gets them better."If you are a leader what you want is to have a mid-to-long term mindset. The problem in sport is it can be very short term. "He [Amorim] is going to face scrutiny and the players are too. But can they weather this and survive strong enough as a team to then get those successes in the mid-to-long term?"
'I could not believe what I was hearing'
Amorim's comments have been criticised by some former Premier League players.Speaking on the BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast, former West Ham and Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker says it may put more pressure on the players."I could not believe what I was hearing," he said. "That comment is absolutely crazy."I think Amorim is too honest and he needs to be a bit more of a politician. By saying that comment and putting it out into the domain, it puts more pressure on the players."How are they going to face him after he's said all of these things? I hope he has given them a different message in the dressing room."Speaking on Sky Sports, former Tottenham defender Michael Dawson said: "I'm not so sure I'd be very happy if my manager came out and said I was part of the worst Manchester United team in history."I understand what he's trying to do but this is becoming embarrassing."Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman can understand the intent, even if he would not have enjoyed hearing it as a player.He said: "It's a really bold statement to say they are the worst ever."I personally wouldn't enjoy being called out like this. It would probably fire me up - which is probably the intent - but no-one wants to be known as the worst team ever. It's probably an honest - and right on the mark - statement."