Amorim fires back at United legends, saying they 'talk a lot' about a different era

Ruben Amorim has taken a pointed swipe at Manchester United’s former players, accusing them of talking too freely about a club they no longer recognise, as he settles into his new role at AC Milan.

The 40-year-old was sacked by United earlier this year following a falling out with the club’s hierarchy, having overseen their worst-ever Premier League finish and managed just 24 wins from 63 matches. His tenure also ended without a trophy after a defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final.

Asked at Milan how it feels to have club legends offering public verdicts on his management, Amorim drew directly on his United experience. “I was in a club in the past with a lot of legends, and they have big opinions, and they talk a lot about things,” he said. “They lived in a time that was completely different.”

The comment appears aimed squarely at figures such as Gary Neville, who delivered particularly sharp assessments during Amorim’s tenure, and Paul Scholes, who suggested the Portuguese was not “the right man” and did not “get the club”. Amorim had responded to Scholes at the time, saying the former players “didn’t have all the information” when making their judgements.

“I think it’s a fact that me, as a manager of Manchester United, we were underachieving,” Amorim acknowledged. “We should have had more points, especially this season. So I take that naturally. Sometimes they don’t have all the information, and they see Manchester United with the standards that they lived here — always winning. So it’s hard for them to see their club in this situation.”

Those standards were set during Sir Alex Ferguson’s era, when United were the Premier League’s dominant force and regular Champions League contenders. The club has now gone 13 years without a league title and is no longer guaranteed European football at the highest level.

At Milan, Amorim has made a broadly positive start. A pre-season win over United was followed by victories over Torino and Venezia, though a 92nd-minute equaliser at Juventus left his side sixth in Serie A. He faces familiar scrutiny at the San Siro, where the weight of the club’s history is equally present.

Back at Old Trafford, United have since appointed Michael Carrick as permanent manager.