The list of problems at Manchester United since Sir Alex Ferguson can’t be done justice by a single article, if at all, as evidenced by Ruben Amorim sweating to fix things.
Ruben Amorim would have known the size of the task at hand when he walked through the doors at Old Trafford but the performances and results since have made it clear again.
From problems off the field, related to mistakes in the transfer market, to issues on the pitch, like the players’ mentality being questioned, there’s a lot to unpack.
- READ: Confirmed Manchester United transfer deals for January 2025, ins, outs, loan moves, deadline date
However, one trend he needs to break is clear once one takes a look at this season more holistically. It’s a trend that needs to break under this Man Utd manager.
Growing list of post-Man Utd success stories
There used to be a time when Man Utd was the pinnacle of the sporting careers of many footballers, maybe everyone bar those who spoke Spanish/South Americans.
The only way after leaving United was downward and while that might still be the case, it’s more because nobody pays average players quite as much as United!
However, a concerning trend that has picked up pace massively this season is the list of players who have walked away from the spotlight at United and unlocked a new level to their game.
Scott McTominay is the obvious starting point for this season. Derided as the midfielder who hides, has limited passing, and gets by on a “teacher’s pet reputation”, he’s been a man reborn in Napoli.
McTominay is leading a surprise title charge at Napoli and has the Italian media swooning all over him, that skill set never appearing consistently at Old Trafford.
Beyond McTominay, Antony is becoming a more recent example of the same with his exploits for Real Betis, albeit the sample size is small.
Even those like Jadon Sancho, who’ve continued their inconsistent ways elsewhere, are somehow in a better position than they were at United, so bad things had gotten.
Then there’s the third category of players who took many steps down but are loving it in their new surroundings, Anthony Martial being an example.
Nobody is mistaking AEK Athens as a European powerhouse comparable to Man Utd but Martial is running the show in Greece, even staying fit consistently!
Ruben Amorim needs to buck the trend
While the list of successes after leaving United can’t be extended to managers, for whom their job at Carrington mostly remains the peak since leaving, Amorim needs to break that trend for the players as well.
Part of it should happen naturally now that United are targeting younger players who should naturally improve with game time.
Even beyond that, however, United should be a place for the players to arrive and unlock the next level of their game instead of declining.
That can happen when the manager improves the players instead of looking outside for replacements at the first sign of trouble.
To his credit, that’s exactly how Amorim has approached the job so far and it should pay dividends in the long run. United have been a graveyard for careers for far too long.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/qyG7Okg