Ruben Amorim has admitted it feels unusual that his job as Manchester United head coach seems secure, even though the team faces a difficult challenge in the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, while Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou could still lose his role regardless of the outcome.
The two clubs, both struggling in the Premier League, meet on Wednesday at Bilbao’s San Mamés Stadium. With only one league game remaining, Manchester United sit 16th with 39 points and a goal difference of -12, just one point and place above Tottenham, who are 17th with 38 points and a goal difference of +2. Despite their parallel struggles, Postecoglou’s position at Tottenham remains uncertain, and there is widespread speculation that he might be dismissed even if Spurs lift the Europa League trophy. This situation prompted questions about why Amorim’s job is not under similar threat.
When asked about the contrast, Amorim expressed some bewilderment. “I don’t know,” he said. “In clubs like this especially Manchester United it’s strange because sometimes coaches lose games and get sacked. It’s hard to explain. People see what we are trying to do, and that I’m thinking more about the club than about myself.”
He went on to say that the board recognizes the complexity of the challenges United face this season. “People, especially the board, understand that we have a lot of issues that in the context are really hard. I don’t know how to explain why the fans like me at this moment. It’s hard to explain. I will try to prove myself to the fans, to the board, but I don’t have an explanation for you.”
Amorim also emphasized that job security has never been a concern for him. “It’s a good thing for me—I never worry about that. That is part of being a coach. The most important thing is that I know what I’m doing. I explained everything before we started, including the storm that would come.”
He said he was upfront with the club’s board about the difficulties that lie ahead and his approach. “I explained all the problems that we have to the board. I said I will not change my idea. So they cannot say one thing that I said to get the job and then I change my mind. It was the opposite. The board can understand that, the fans can understand that.”
Looking ahead, Amorim was cautious when asked how long it would take to turn Manchester United’s fortunes around. “It’s hard to speak about that because we need to be excited and confident about the final, but we already know the problems. Tomorrow will be important for us and for our fans because winning can help us to have that strength to do every job we have to do. Tomorrow will be massive for us and our fans.”
Tactically, Amorim was asked if he might start striker Rasmus Højlund on the bench and deploy Bruno Fernandes as a false nine, a strategy used by his predecessor Erik ten Hag in the FA Cup final win over Manchester City last year. Amorim was non-committal, stating that his 3-4-3 system is flexible. “Our system is the normal system that can change the characteristics. It’s not about playing as a striker or without a striker. It’s a system like any other where you can change the characteristics, but it doesn’t matter what happened in the last final because it was a different team, different competition, different context, so everything was different.”
He emphasized that his focus remains on his team’s performance and tactics in the current match rather than past successes. “I just focus on the way we play, the way Tottenham play, what we can do to be better than the last two games. That was my focus and not the last time that we won a cup.”
Meanwhile, Manchester United received a boost with the availability of Leny Yoro, Diogo Dalot, and Joshua Zirzkee, all having recovered from injuries ahead of the crucial game. As the two London clubs prepare to meet in this high-stakes final, the pressure is immense, but Amorim appears determined to maintain his philosophy and deliver a positive outcome for the club and its supporters.
