The United boss as well as new defender Patrick Dorgu took questions from the media ahead of tomorrow night's crunch second leg against Real Sociedad.
There was a lot that's happened at the club in the past couple of days so much so that there was no questions about our opponents.
Anyways, the presser...
Ruben Amorim confirms that Leny Yoro, who sustained a foot injury in the draw against Arsenal, will be out for this game and the next although it's not a serious issue, whilst Sociedad comes too soon for Mason Mount, who made a return to team training today. Former captain Harry Maguire is also out for tomorrow but the manager hopes to have him available for Sunday's game against Leicester. He also says that Manuel Ugarte is in the squad to face the Spaniards.
The United boss said that the proposed new stadium is an "amazing stadium" but that that will come in five years time and he wants to focus on the present.
Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe did a couple of interviews in which he had high praise for Amorim but also criticized some of the players in the squad saying they're not good enough or overpaid. The coach was asked what he makes of these comments.
He replied that it's not just those players but it's all the players as well as himself who are "underperforming" this season. Amorim says that he knows that his players can perform so much better, "that is the focus."
Amorim adds that the players will look to try and prove the co-owner wrong and that his players want to improve "really badly" especially with the results.
Amorim says that his relationship with Sir Jim has been "good since day one" and that they are really "blunt and honest" with each other.
The Portuguese mentions that he and the board already had the conversations in the past when discussing his future. Both Sir Jim Ratcliffe and CEO Omar Berrada were behind Amorim talking about how they would like him to still be the manager by the time the new stadium opens in 2030.
The manager does admit though, that to hear them say it publicly is "good for the coach."
Patrick Dorgu was asked what drew him to Amorim and United to which the defender answered that having already seen what the manager did at Sporting and that he would like to be a part of that attacking system, were reasons to come to Old Trafford.
Dorgu also says it doesn't matter which position he plays in as he is comfortable wherever the manager says he has to play.
Back to Amorim, and he tells us that the club have a "clear plan" when it comes to next season's transfer plans. He cites that potentially winning the Europa League could help although reiterated that the club know what to do despite being in a difficult period at the moment.
He then says that it's also about knowing which players you want to sign.
Dorgu says that he's settled into Manchester and that it was disappointing to get the red card against Ipswich but it's an opportunity for him to learn from that challenge.
The defender told us what the manager expects from a wing-back with the Danish international saying that Amorim wants a connection with the midfielders and a lot of deep runs.
The United manager says that the Europa League is important as it gives them "more energy to continue the season." However, he adds that the EL won't change a lot for the idea of what they want to do for the next season.
Final Thoughts
Not anything surprising in terms of team news other than Mount being back I mean, I almost feel like asking, who is this guy? I suppose him being back to some capacity is good but for how long will he be available is the question.
Getting Ugarte back is a good thing. He makes a difference to our side and it also means extra options. I did think that maybe Maguire will make a return but clearly, it's an injury that is slightly worse that we thought. He is quite injury prone as well, isn't he? Disappointing for Yoro because with Martinez out and Maguire injured, this was an opportunity for him to perhaps make one of those three centre-back spots his own.
I already spoke about Sir Jim's comments here but what he said wasn't wrong. Some of these players not just those he name-checked, are not good enough for United. We did overpay for them and are overpaying them in wages. That doesn't have anything to do with Amorim because he is the manager and doesn't handle that nor was he here when those deals were done, yet what the co=owner said was true all the same.
Of course the manager is going to come out and back his players but I feel like we've seen for too long now that these players don't have that bottle to actually prove doubters wrong. For the odd game, yes, but consistently, not at all.
Amorim also didn't throw anyone under the bus as he said that as a collective, they have to improve, not just as individuals.
It is nice to hear when your bosses publicly back you but it can also put a bit more pressure onto you as now everyone knows that they believe you are the guy. Those comments both by Sir Jim and Berrada were very bold as to want Ruben to be the coach until at least 2030 would mean that he would be the manager for the next 6 years!
Amorim also goes back to needing to improve results and as much as the board back him, they do have eyes and can see that the football is dire and that the position of 14th in the league is categorically unacceptable. Carry on like this, I doubt Amorim will see out his contract that ends in 2027.
By also publicly backing him, the board do put pressure onto themselves because we know that for any manager to be successful, they need the right players, of which Amorim doesn't have, even Sir Jim mentioned it. So the club will then have to show that they are keeping their end of the bargain by bringing in whoever he wants and then it being up to the manager to make things happen on the pitch.
I'm sure that they do have an idea of what they want to do for the future but I do think a lot of that depends on the now. If we win the Europa, that brings in good money, that brings Champions League football which will then attract better players. It's all a domino effect.
When it comes to the budget, again, as Sir Jim is a business man, he would know how to operate in order to have things sorted and stable for the future. Even should we not win the Europa, they probably have a plan for that as well.
Whether all these 'plans' are good, we'll have to wait and see.
I have a feeling he already knows which players he wants to get rid of and which type of players he wants to bring in. This then throws it back onto the board and whether they will do what he wants in terms of transfers.
Wing-backs are super important to Amorim's system. They are probably the most important area of the team.
We saw just how effective they can be especially going forward against Arsenal with that chance for Mazraoui as the cross came from fellow wing-back Dalot. That is how they work in an attacking sense and when we do have possession.
Without the ball, they drop deeper to give us more defensive solidity with five at the back showing how effective the wing-backs are defensively and offensively.
Dorgu gives us that better option on the left because he is left-footed which means a better balance and can allow Dalot to play on his preferred right. Wing-backs have to be extremely fit which is what we have in Mazraoui and Dalot and hopefully Dorgu is as well.
The Europa League is the ONLY thing we have left for this season. Amorim is obviously not going to say that if we go out, the season may as well end now but I think inside of him, that's probably how he feels. Well, that's how I think most of us would feel anyway.
I do believe him when he says that the plans for the future won't change regardless of what happens in the Europa just as I said they probably know what to do if we do get knocked out, but it will definitely help should we lift the trophy.
I also expect that those players are also aware that our season depends on this competition. They won't want the season to just fizzle out as even they will probably feel like what's the point in playing the rest of the campaign?
So whatever energy they have, any willingness to prove Sir Jim wrong, we need it. Let's hope they can deliver.
Background Image: Ruben Amorim says he has good relationship with Man Utd board since day one | Image credit: Getty Images via Goal