Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has just overseen the club’s worst-ever Premier League finish, but the man responsible tasked with ‘bringing the glory days again’ gave an admittedly inspiring motivational speech to close out the campaign.
Although former head coach ten Hag may have started the season in charge, his Portuguese successor brought an end to it that couldn’t have come sooner for supporters, who were treated to a rare win at Old Trafford this year as they won their last Premier League fixture of 2024/25 against Aston Villa 2-0.
Ruben’s Red Devils managed just 11 wins in the competition, and following the crushing blow that was the Europa League final, most fans just wanted it all to be over with.
However, as is often the case with football, a passionate speech by their gaffer was more than enough to get many of those who had their heads down ready and raring to go again next season, with Amorim addressing the crowd directly from the pitch after the full-time whistle.
The 40-year-old began by apologising for what he went on to dub a “disaster season”, acknowledging that he understands how “disappointed” fans have felt throughout his tenure thus far – especially following the collective heartbreak of the final – before going on to thank them for their faith and loyalty.
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But it was one particular line that seemed to stir a fair amount of determination up in the stands, among those watching at home, and presumably within the players stood clapping from the centre-circle behind him: “The good days are coming.”
Reflecting his warning of the impending “storm” when he arrived at the club and alluding to the club’s long history of making it through much tougher times, such as the Munich Air Disaster, he urged those looking on not to get “stuck in the past” and fight amongst each other but to “move forward.”
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He also took a moment to apologise to his own players, adding: “I want to say sorry also to my players; sometimes I was not fair, but I always try to be honest with you guys.”
Whether or not this particular part of the speech was an attempt to get some squad members back on side who may or may not be looking to move elsewhere (i.e. reportedly unhappy Alejandro Garnacho, loanee Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo, etc.), only time will tell.
One thing we do know is that the passionate and candid address got most of those inside Old Trafford, not to mention fans watching around Greater Manchester and beyond, up for the challenge.
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Finishing 15th on just 42 points may be their lowest-ever tally in the first division’s modern era, but you can guarantee that everyone around the club will be hoping it will prove to be little more than an outlier. The storm before the calm, even.
Amad Diallo himself, who has proved to be one of the few shining lights donning the famous shirt over the past year or so, already took to social media to write in a post: “I promise you that a season like this will never happen again at this great club.”
What about you, Reds – do you think he is the man who can turn things around? You can hear Ruben Amorim’s end-of-season speech in full down below.
Ruben rousing the Reds for a return to the ‘good days’.
Featured Images — MUTV (screenshots via YouTube)/Manchester United (via X)
Sport
Jamie Carragher delivers damning Ruben Amorim verdict as pressure piles on Man United boss
Danny Jones
Jamie Carragher has delivered a damning verdict on struggling manager Ruben Amorim, as he has declared that his time in Manchester “HAS to end” after more than 10 months at United.
The retired Liverpool and England player spoke on the situation at Man United and what the future holds for Amorim on Monday Night Football (MNF), joining Everton icon Duncan Ferguson on the punditry panel for Sky Sports.
While he is by no means the first to ponder how the Portuguese gaffer is still in post, his most recent comments are some of the strongest by a popular mainstream commentator thus far, and also further stick the boot in on what he thinks is a United administration that is rife with poor decision-making.
Both he and Ferguson were far from complimentary about the 40-year-old head coach, with Carragher going so far as to label his time at Old Trafford as “a disaster”, both for the club and, ultimately, his career moving forward.
"We are only waiting for the inevitable" 😶@Carra23 says Ruben Amorim's appointment as Manchester United manager has been a 'disaster' for both parties 😬 pic.twitter.com/WxZ9uJ0XxX
‘Carra’ goes on to state that he believes “we’re waiting for the inevitable” and it’s now simply a matter of whenINEOS decide to sack Amorim.
As you can see in the clip, the former defender says that he thinks there is almost an element of denial among the Man United administration at present, with the owners, CEO Omar Berrada and Director of Football Jason Wilcox having already backed him so heavily both publicly and in the transfer market, etc.
Despite the evaluations on MNF last night, Sky Sports reports that Amorim still has the backing of Sir Jim Ratcliffe; however, it arguably serves as even more evidence to Carragher’s point that the hierarchy perhaps just doesn’t want to concede what would be such a huge admission and/or defeat.
In fact, ex-Premier League striker Alan Shearer also shared a similar stance on the most recent episode of The Rest Is Football podcast, in which he said: “I genuinely believe that the owners or the people that are running the club at the minute have made that many errors in the last two years or 18 months since they’ve been there.
He went on to add that “it would look terrible to admit another error and sack him”, especially after so much faith, investment and carrying out so much restructuring around him as the focal point.
Unfortunately, even club legends like Wayne Rooney are starting to express their doubt as to whether Amorim is the right man for the United job, though he does shine more of a spotlight on the dressing room and believes that someone needs to – for lack of a better term – give the players a kick up the arse.
Rooney’s remarks have gone viral on social media, with many noting that you can ‘hear the pain’ in his voice when talking about his former home and how the institution has increasingly suffered in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson years.
For context, even with multiple unwanted records being broken under Erik ten Hag, Amorim has not only got his team off to the worst top-flight start since the 1992/93 campaign, but has just nine wins from a total of 33 league games in charge of the Red Devils.
Carra goes on to insist that not only does this have to end “as quickly as possible” for the sake of the club this season and moving forward, but if the one ‘next big thing’ and one-time potential Pep Guardiola successor is to keep his reputation intact. The question is, do you agree?
You can see Duncan Ferguson and Jamie Carragher’s full assessment of the current situation with Ruben Amorim and Manchester United as a whole down below.
Ricky Hatton’s family share details of 18 mile-long Memorial Route next week
Daisy Jackson
A Memorial Route to celebrate the life of Ricky Hatton has been shared by the late boxer’s family.
The legendary sportsman and local figure was found dead at his home earlier this month – he was just 46 years old.
His family have now shared details of a procession which will take place next week, offering fans a chance to come out and pay their respects to ‘The Hitman’.
The Memorial Route will span some 18 miles and pass landmarks that shaped Ricky Hatton throughout his life and career.
It will begin in Hyde, where he spent most of his life, before heading on to the city centre for a funeral service at Manchester Cathedral.
Entry to the service itself will be by invitation only, but the lengthy cortège will allow plenty of opportunity for locals to pay their respects before then.
The Memorial Route will then wind up at the Etihad Stadium.
Ricky’s family has shared a map of the route and confirmed that it will pass pubs, gyms and other landmarks loved by the boxing great.
It will begin at The Cheshire Cheese pub in Gee Cross before heading on to The Harehill Tavern, and then up to the site of the former The New Inn pub.
The latter is a pub that Ricky’s parents ran, and in which his parents built him a boxing gym in the basement.
Though the pub is now closed and has been turned into housing, it’s here that doves will be released in his honour.
The Ricky Hatton Memorial Route will move on from here to pause at énergie Fitness Hyde Ricky Hatton, then to pass Hyde Town Hall and Betta Bodies Gym.
From here, it will make its way into the city centre, passing the AO Arena and making its way to Manchester Cathedral.
After the funeral service, the procession will finish at the Etihad Stadium – the home of Ricky Hatton’s beloved Manchester City.
The procession will begin at 9.45am on Friday 10 October, and is expected to reach the Cathedral for midday.
Danny Jones -
26th May 2025 
