Why Ruben Amorim didn’t meet Ruud van Nistelrooy face-to-face to deliver Man Utd axe

Ruben Amorim did not meet Ruud van Nistelrooy face-to-face before deciding to exclude him from Manchester United’s coaching team. Amorim recently arrived in Manchester to begin his role as head coach, succeeding van Nistelrooy, who had been managing the team on an interim basis for four games following Erik ten Hag’s departure after a disappointing season start.

Amorim, the former Sporting Lisbon manager, chose to make significant staffing decisions as he prepares to establish his approach at Old Trafford. Despite van Nistelrooy’s success in his short stint, securing three wins out of four matches, Amorim opted not to retain him on his coaching staff. Reports from The Athletic suggest that if there were any discussions between Amorim and van Nistelrooy, they did not occur in person. Manchester United allowed Amorim to make the decision independently, without being influenced by van Nistelrooy’s legacy or past connections to the club, emphasizing the importance of Amorim’s leadership direction.

Van Nistelrooy reportedly left United’s training grounds around midday, and Amorim arrived a few hours later with his new team, including coaches Carlos Fernandes, Adelio Candido, Paulo Barreira, Emanuel Ferro, and Jorge Vital. Amorim then received a tour of the training facilities at Carrington but cannot officially start until his visa is approved—a formality expected to be resolved shortly.

Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Amorim expressed readiness to tackle the high expectations at Manchester United, noting he was aware of the increased pressure and exposure that come with managing at this l

evel.