'I'm here to be manager, not coach' - Amorim challenges Man Utd chiefs

Ruben Amorim has challenged his Manchester United bosses to let him do his job without interference.

After hinting on Friday at issues behind the scenes, Amorim waited until the final question of his post-match media conference after the 1-1 draw at Leeds United to make another significant point.

In the process, he indicated he had been the subject of unwanted internal interference from senior United figures and that the club had become too sensitive to outside criticism.

He also brought up the names of three high-profile former Premier League bosses and suggested they would not be subjected to the same behaviour.

Amorim repeatedly said that in 18 months' time, when his contract is due to end, he will leave the club.

"I just want to say I came here to be the manager, not to be the coach," he said.

"In every department - the scouting department, the sporting director – [they] need to do their job. I will do mine for 18 months and then we move on.

"I just want to say that I'm going to be the manager of this team, not just the coach. I was really clear on that. That is going to finish in 18 months and then everyone is going to move on. That was the deal. That is my job. Not to be a coach.

"If people cannot handle the Gary Nevilles and the criticisms of everything, we need to change the club."

Neville is one of a number of high-profile former United players who have been massively critical of the club recently.

The former captain described the home draw with bottom-of-the-table Wolves on 30 December as "the baddest of the bad".

Last month, Neville's fellow 'Class of 92' member Paul Scholes said Amorim "doesn't get" Manchester United because of his preference to play a three-man defensive formation with wing-backs, which goes against the club's tradition of playing with wingers.

Amorim changed the system to four at the back for the victory over Newcastle on Boxing Day but reverted to a back three for subsequent games, including at Leeds.

A recent report claimed Christopher Vivell, United's head of recruitment, called on Amorim to adapt his system after a particularly detailed explanation by Fulham boss Marco Silva of his plan to counter it following the 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage in August.

Amorim has said there have been disagreements with the club over transfer targets, while hints at growing tensions with director of football Jason Wilcox have been getting stronger.

When asked if he still feels he has the confidence of the United hierarchy, Amorim said: "To start with that, I noticed that you received selective information about everything.

"I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach of Manchester United. That is clear.

"I know that my name is not [Thomas] Tuchel, it's not [Antonio] Conte, it's not [Jose] Mourinho, but I'm the manager of Manchester United. And it's going to be like this for 18 months or when the board decides to change.

"I'm not going to quit. I will do my job until another guy is coming here to replace me."

While United officials have tried to create a picture of harmony, their words are being tested by Amorim, who was named as 'head coach' when the club announced his arrival as the successor of Erik ten Hag – who was the manager – on 1 November 2024.

Amorim still believes United are moving in the right direction despite a run of one win five games and three in 11 following his only sequence of wins at the club.

It remains to be seen if his comments have any immediate impact, although it is difficult to see how the current situation is sustainable over an extended period of time.

Amorim is due to speak to the media again on Tuesday lunchtime, before his side's trip to Burnley the following night.

Amorim is not being helped by the form of £73.7m striker Benjamin Sesko.

The Slovenian has scored only two goals in 16 appearances and wasted more opportunities against Leeds, including the visitors' best opportunity to get a winner when he sent Joshua Zirkzee's low cross wide from six yards despite being in front of the goal.

It is now nine games since he found the net, against Sunderland on 4 October, and the decision to bring Sesko in as a replacement for Rasmus Hojlund, who has moved to Napoli on loan after two underwhelming seasons as United's number nine and has scored nine goals in 21 games, is now open to question.

Not that Amorim sees the situation in quite such clear terms.

"Ben has completely different characteristics to Rasmus and he is doing the right things," Amorim said.

"I know as a striker, if you miss chances they [outside critics] will say the player did everything wrong, but to miss the chances he's missing, he has to be there. That's the first step.

"He just needs to score one, then all the weight will disappear and he will be better."