Manchester United's Amorim on problems at the club, job losses, Ange Postecoglu's Spurs and winning a title by 2028
Carrington, Manchester, UK
Carrington, Manchester, UK
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00:00Hi Ruben, it's been a week or so since we've seen you, how good was that to have that time on the training ground?
00:06In terms of the injured players, are you able to provide an update on where we might see Mason Mount, Luke Shaw, Johnny Evans?
00:13No, it was a good week until two days ago, we had some problems also, so we don't have players back, maybe we'll have one or two issues.
00:24But we are waiting, we have one player who is also sick, so we'll see the team on the weekend.
00:33But it was good to work with the team, to feel the players and to try to improve our performance.
00:39So with setbacks in terms of injuries, serious? It doesn't feel like you're going to give us any names.
00:46No, we will see at the weekend.
00:49How big is this match against Tottenham? Obviously two sides that have a lot of expectations but haven't lived up to expectations.
00:55Every game now, every game until the end of the season is a big game for us.
01:00We need to improve the way we play football, but especially we need to win.
01:06No matter what, we need to win and for that we need to improve the way we play football.
01:13Ruben, there's been more news this week about potential redundancies at the club.
01:18Ineos have obviously had issues with Ben Ainslie, they've had issues with the New Zealand Rugby Union.
01:26Are you concerned at all that that's going to have any impact on your attempts to rebuild this team over the summer?
01:34Our biggest problem now is Tottenham.
01:37We know that the moment of the club, of course I have to understand all these problems,
01:44but that problem of our club is not new.
01:48You already knew all the rules of fair play.
01:51We have a problem at the moment, but that cannot influence the way I coach the team and prepare the next game.
02:00My focus is on that and not on the other things.
02:03As a coach, you have to feel as though you're going to be able to make things better.
02:08You always plan forward, every coach does that.
02:11That surely has an impact on whatever discussions you're having.
02:17Here it's simple, to do something we need to sell players.
02:21My focus is to prepare the game.
02:24We cannot do it now, the window is closed.
02:26We need to focus on the games that we have, especially the next one.
02:31Then in the summer we will see.
02:34We know that the club has an ambitious target to win their 21st title by 2028.
02:39Was that something that was mentioned to you when you joined?
02:41Do you think that's realistic targets?
02:44Yes, we talk about that.
02:47Our focus, I said since day one, is to win the Premier League.
02:54We can change everything in a few years.
02:58I don't know how long it's going to take.
03:01In this moment we are in a difficult situation.
03:04The way we play, the games that we don't win, we know that.
03:09But we need to work every day and focus on the little steps.
03:13Winning the next game, prepare very well for the next summer and then we will see.
03:20Ruben, Ange Postacoglu has been criticised at times this season for sticking to his principles.
03:26How important is it that as a coach you don't deviate away from your philosophy?
03:31Do you admire him for that?
03:33Yes, I'm a huge fan of Ange Postacoglu.
03:36Of course, I'm from a different culture.
03:38I'm Portuguese and you know all the Portuguese coaches.
03:43They can adapt and I adapt.
03:45The simple thing is that I use one system in the moment.
03:49Because I believe if you work on that system you can play in different systems at the same time.
03:55So that is my idea.
03:57But we are not winning games and I understand the connection between me and Ange.
04:03We have the same problems.
04:08In my opinion, with all due respect, I'm in a bigger club with a bigger pressure.
04:13So I understand the connection.
04:15I think it's really important as a coach to follow his principles.
04:22Postacoglu is under a bit of pressure with the results they've had.
04:26Can you afford to feel any sympathy for him?
04:29Of course.
04:30Especially because he's a good guy.
04:32He's a very good coach.
04:34He wants to play football in the right way.
04:37That for me is a good thing.
04:42We know that when we choose this kind of profession there are a lot of good things.
04:48But then you have to feel that pressure when you don't win.
04:54Ruben, away from home there seems to be a bit more relaxation with your team.
04:59A lot of pressure at home and all the home records.
05:01Not fantastic at the moment.
05:02Can you feel like yourself within the players?
05:04I feel it in the game, the performance.
05:06Because you see it, I see it.
05:08I see the same thing.
05:10Especially in the big games when you are a little bit the underdog.
05:16That is a thing that we should not feel in any game.
05:21Because we are Manchester United.
05:23But I feel the players are more free.
05:25But then when you have to win the game,
05:28you have to be more dominant in every aspect of the game.
05:33I feel that we are not quite there.
05:37So I feel the team, sometimes the feeling is different when we play away.
05:42Jürgen, you mentioned the summer.
05:44I know it's only been January and closed.
05:46But fans would be interested to know what the landscape might look like.
05:49Because it feels like it's going to be an important window for you to get the players to fit your style.
05:54Is that the case though?
05:55You need to sell to buy even in the summer?
05:57You know the rules better than me.
06:00So our focus now is to win these games.
06:05And then we have time to focus on that.
06:07I'm really, really focused on winning the next game.
06:13I know you asked about Chido Obi last week.
06:15But did you see his performance in the week for youth team?
06:18And at academy level, do you see any players possibly coming into the first team?
06:23I don't want to say names.
06:25Because we have to be careful on that.
06:28They are working with us.
06:29We had some problems this week.
06:31We called some young players to be in our training.
06:37So we will have that evaluation.
06:40He's one of them.
06:44There's a 12-point gap between the bottom three and where you are right now.
06:48It seems like a big gap on the surface.
06:51Is it dangerous to feel safe at this stage?
06:54Do you think it's dangerous to fall back on that cushion?
06:58No, we are not.
06:59It's impossible.
07:01If you see the table, it's impossible to feel any type of comfort in this moment.
07:07We just want to win, to improve our performance.
07:10Because we are Manchester United.
07:12We are always talking about the same thing.
07:16It doesn't matter if it's up or down.
07:18We need to win the next game.
07:20We need to improve.
07:21We need to perform better.
07:24So there is no comfort in any situation in this club.
07:31There have been a couple of instances recently of players leaving the club
07:34and then going to other clubs and maybe better showing their qualities.
07:37Anthony started well at Betis, Scott McTominay before your time at Napoli.
07:41Do you think that shows how difficult it is for a player to perform here?
07:45That the pressure and the spotlight is so great
07:47that when perhaps they move somewhere else,
07:49they kind of feel liberated, a bit more freedom perhaps?
07:52I don't know.
07:53I don't know.
07:55Sometimes it's like that.
07:56It can happen in any club.
07:58This is a club with a lot of pressure.
08:02In this kind of club, we have to have a base of a team
08:06to put younger players, talented players that came from abroad,
08:11that came to a team that has one strong base
08:14that can help them to cope with that pressure.
08:17In this moment, we don't have it.
08:19So it's really hard also on them.
08:22And you feel it in Dorgu.
08:23He was a little bit nervous in the first moment.
08:27But if you are playing better as a team,
08:29you have a strong core that can cope with this
08:32and are winning games and are really strong in the games
08:35like it was supposed to be in this kind of club,
08:40it will be more easy for these kind of players
08:43to be free to play football.
08:45But football is like that.
08:47When you reach that level,
08:48you need to cope with the pressure.
08:51Sometimes they go to other clubs
08:54and they are more free without pressure
08:56and they play better.
08:57I don't know.