Amorim repeatedly wanted to quit at Manchester United, but Sir Jim soothed him with drinks! Solskjaer’s high emotional intelligence won over the management.

Ruben Amorim’s dismissal at Manchester United appeared abrupt, but his frustration had been building over more than a year of coaching, during which he often expressed deep disappointment with the team. It was reported that in January 2025, Sir Jim Ratcliffe personally intervened to convince him not to quit. Amorim also frequently voiced concerns that the club was in decline, criticizing Manchester United’s historically weak squad and lagging youth development.

Among his concerns, Amorim was particularly shocked by the team’s lack of physical toughness and fragile mentality. It was said he could predict which matches they would lose just by watching how players tied their shoelaces during warm-ups.

Amorim was reportedly very emotional, leading him to repeatedly consider leaving Manchester United out of despair. To calm him down, Sir Jim once flew by helicopter to Carrington to share a beer and talk. However, if tactics were brought up, Amorim would half-jokingly tell the owner to get lost, showing his firm stance on principles.

At times, Amorim also clashed with players, leading to some falling out with him. Cody Meno was a notable example, but Lisandro Martínez did not hold grudges over their disagreements. According to the Daily Mirror, the two had a heated confrontation on the training ground after Martínez was left out of the starting lineup.

That incident happened in December last year while Manchester United was preparing for matches against Crystal Palace and West Ham. Martínez believed he was ready to play and felt Amorim’s decision to exclude him was wrong, so he expressed his position quite assertively. However, their conflict was professional, not personal, and no lasting resentment remained. In fact, after Bruno Fernandes got injured, Amorim even handed the captain’s armband to the Argentine defender as a sign of respect.

However, Amorim’s personality, combined with his insistence on the 3-4-3 formation, ultimately made it impossible for him to continue as Manchester United’s head coach, which was an expected outcome. Unfortunately, the club’s sporting director, Jason Wilcox, admitted he has a coaching instinct and often can’t help but interfere with the team.

Wilcox was a left winger during his playing days, having played for Blackburn Rovers, Leeds United, and Leicester City. After retiring, he coached Manchester City’s U18 team to a national championship. Following his role as sporting director at Southampton, he was appointed Manchester United’s technical director in 2024 and promoted to sporting director last June after Dan Ashworth was dismissed.

At a Manchester United Former Players Association dinner in September 2025, Wilcox openly stated: “At heart, I am a coach. I know I’m doing a different job now, but deep down, I’m still a coach. This is an advantage in my current role, but it also causes some problems because I always want to get involved.”

Compared to Amorim, Solskjaer, who took over as interim manager for the second time, demonstrated excellent communication skills and tact when applying to return. He knew managing Manchester United would come with good compensation, so he proactively assured that salary and contract length were not issues.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano said: “Solskjaer wants to sign with Manchester United as soon as possible. The club has also held talks with Carrick and will make a decision soon. The current plan is to have an interim coach first, then hire a long-term manager in the summer. It’s still unclear who that will be; Tuchel and De Zerbi are among the candidates. The club wants a manager with Premier League experience who can quickly adapt.”