Ruben Amorim said he does not understand why Manchester United fans have remained so patient throughout his tenure despite the club’s dismal domestic form.
The Portuguese has won just 16 of his 40 matches in charge at United, with the side slipping to 16th in the Premier League. The Europa League has been his saving grace, though, and to win Wednesday’s final against Tottenham would serve as a grand silver lining on an otherwise cloudy campaign.
Tottenham’s similarly poor League form has seen Amorim draw plentiful comparisons to Ange Postecoglou, who has been roundly criticised as his side sit one point behind United in the table. Speaking from the Estadio de San Mames ahead of the Europa League final, Amorim was unsure as to why the United faithful have been so patient with him.
“I don’t know,” he said, asked why supporters had been so tolerant. "In this kind of club, also Tottenham, it is strange that you have some coaches who lose games and get sacked. I think people see that sometimes I am thinking more about the club than myself.”
“We have a lot of issues that in the context is really hard. I don't know how to explain how the fans like me in this moment. I try to prove myself to the fans, to the board."
He was cautious as he weighed up the impact securing United’s second Europa League title could have on the club, explaining that one trophy would not make up for larger-scale issues at the club.
"We know that we need to change a lot of things in our club. The recruitment, the academy, we need to improve. That will not be solved by winning a cup.
“We have bigger things to deal with to put this club back to the top. Tomorrow, that winning feeling will give us every strength to do every job that we have to do."
