Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe says manager Ruben Amorim needs three years to prove he is a “great” coach, despite the club’s difficult start to the season.
Amorim, who will mark his first anniversary at Old Trafford in November after joining from Sporting Lisbon, endured a torrid debut campaign as United finished 15th in the Premier League — their lowest position since being relegated in 1973-74.
Even after a summer spending spree exceeding £200m, United have already suffered three league defeats this season and were dumped out of the EFL Cup by League Two side Grimsby.
Reports before last weekend’s 2-0 win over Sunderland suggested Amorim’s job was under threat, but Ratcliffe dismissed those claims, insisting patience is key.
“He has not had the best of seasons,” Ratcliffe told The Times’ Business podcast. “Ruben needs to demonstrate he is a great coach over three years. That’s where I would be.”
The 40-year-old Portuguese coach has faced criticism for sticking rigidly to his 3-4-2-1 system, but Ratcliffe says he is unfazed by outside opinions.
“The press sometimes I don’t understand,” he said. “They want overnight success — like flicking a light switch and suddenly everything’s perfect. You can’t run a club like Manchester United on knee-jerk reactions to what a journalist says every week.”
Ratcliffe, who owns just under 30% of United but oversees all major football decisions, also defended the Glazer family’s role at the club, saying they are often unfairly criticised.
“They get a bad rap,” he said. “They’re passionate about the club. And if you’re asking whether they’d tell me to sack Ruben — that’s not going to happen.”
