JAKARTA - The dismissal of Ruben Amorim from the Manchester United Manager's seat on Monday, January 5, 2026, was surprising.
Only, if we look at the signals that the Portuguese coach conveyed last weekend, it feels like his position is already on the edge.
After the draw against Leeds United on Sunday, January 4, 2026, Amorim revealed the discord behind the team.
He insisted he is a manager, not a head coach, and urged the talent-spotting department and Manchester United's sporting director to do their jobs.
However, that comment instead led to the end of his journey with the Red Devils.
For some people, especially former Manchester United players, the news of Amorim's dismissal was quite shocking.
Rio Ferdinand, for example, expressed his surprise. However, he believes that the situation began to deteriorate before Christmas.
"He's not in the first three, four or five I would mention as a manager to be sacked at the moment in the league, so I'm surprised."
"However, when you look at his record in writing, I'm not surprised, which is strange, and it sounds strange when I say it."
"This man, one of the best traits and the thing he was most loved for was always his ability to be straightforward in his press conferences, optimistic. He had a cheerful demeanor, while his last two press conferences looked gloomy."
"When I went there last time, I immediately realized there was a cold attitude from him. There is a real difference from what I saw before and now."
"If I look back, it feels like everything started heating up before Christmas. This is not just something that happened overnight," the former Manchester United defender said on the YouTube channel, Rio Ferdinand Presents.
Although surprised, the former Red Devils player actually expressed his agreement to dismiss the Portuguese coach.
Michael Owen, for example, believes Amorim's departure is the only option available to the club. However, he also said that finding a replacement who is above Amorim's quality will be very difficult.
"Amorim's dismissal was inevitable after his words after the Leeds game. The Manchester United board must have been secretly delighted that he had given them the perfect excuse to part ways."
"It may be the right decision, but there is no clear and prominent candidate out there," Owen said on X.
Meanwhile, another English legend, Gary Lineker, said Amorim was the wrong man to manage a club he described as "a complete mess".
In other words, Lineker seemed to imply that Manchester United is indeed a troubled club, whoever the coach is.
"I think it's almost like he provoked it. It doesn't seem like the right choice and he's a bit stubborn about the way he wants to play."
"The players are not suited to his style of play and the club should be aware of that. I suspect they are not supporting him in terms of bringing in the players he wants in certain positions."
"In addition, this football club has been a bit chaotic for the past few years," Lineker told Rest Is Football.
A number of thanks were expressed by Manchester United players to accompany Amorim's departure.
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire congratulated Amorim via Instagram, posting a photo of the two of them shaking hands.
"Thank you for everything, boss. I wish you the best in the future," he wrote.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, who is from Portugal, also used social media to say goodbye to the 40-year-old.
"Thank you, sir! I wish you and your technical staff the best," he wrote on Instagram.
Apart from that, Rene Meulensteen - who spent six years as Manchester United's first team coach until his departure in 2013 - urged management to recruit a replacement who knows how to win in the English League.
"They don't want to make another mistake and quickly choose someone they're trying to fill the void with. They need to really search."
"They need someone with a good track record. Someone who understands the English League, who has been successful in the English League."
"Someone with a strong personality, with charisma. Someone with a good vision of how to take Manchester United forward," Meulensteen told BBC Radio 5 Live.
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