Luke Shaw backs Ruben Amorim's hardline approach: ‘He demands 100 per cent'

New York Times

2 days ago

Luke Shaw has backed Ruben Amorim's hardline approach at Manchester United to rid a 'toxic environment' from the club and make sure every player is giving their maximum.
Amorim has shown his ruthless streak since joining United, making high demands on his players and jettisoning those who do not meet his standards. Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho, and Tyrell Malacia are all absent from United's tour of the U.S. while Marcus Rashford secured a loan move to Barcelona after being told he had to train away from the first-team squad.
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'I think us as players, especially the experienced ones, we need to be demanding more on a day-in, day-out basis,' Shaw said.
'The levels in training, keeping the times of when we're doing this and doing that, making sure no one's coming late or anything, I think we need to just all up the level of demands. That's what I think Ruben definitely brings in — the demands.
'Especially the mentality. The mentality is a big thing on his lips. He talks a lot about it. Ruben demands 100 per cent and that's it — he doesn't want anything less. If someone's doing 85 to 90 per cent, it's not enough for him. I think, especially this year, if you're not doing the right things, I feel like you won't play.'
Shaw, 30, has been at United since 2014 and is the longest-serving member in Amorim's squad. In his time, he has seen United appoint five permanent managers, one interim and two caretakers. Amorim's approach has been to make a clean cut with players who he feels do not match the level required on application.
'He's not bothered (about reputations), I think you've seen what he's done in the past eight months with different players and things like that. He doesn't care who the player is, if he's not following what he wants then that's how it should be. I think whatever the manager wants, us as players we have to be delivering that. So, yes, we're fully behind that.
'At the end of the day, the manager has to do that because he's going to be the one whose job is on the line.
'He wants to come in and do exactly what he wants because he's the one who's on the end of the stick. He wants to do things his own way and stamp his own authority on the club. I think that's the only way you can do it, especially at Man United.'
Having experienced all the turbulence at Old Trafford over the past decade, Shaw believes Amorim's only chance of success will come from changing the atmosphere around the club.
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'It's not hard to see from the outside what it's been like. A lot of the time I've been here over the last few years it's been extremely negative. It can be quite toxic, the environment, it's not healthy at all.
'We need an environment that's healthy, that's positive, that's got good energy and happiness.
'I think when you have all those things, you feel free, and you express yourself more on the pitch. Things come together and I think, especially this pre-season, us as a team, I feel like the bond is growing and growing. I feel like in my time here, it's probably the closest I've felt with the squad. I think the atmosphere is really good and extremely positive. Hopefully, that can continue.'
Shaw added on Amorim: 'There are no stragglers in this group anymore. His mentality, his demands, he's extremely tough on the group. He leaves no stone unturned. Everyone has to put the team first. He's made that very clear. He's picking players on who he feels will be best for the team and that's his choice.
'As players we're fully behind him and fully behind on his ideas and what he wants to implement in the team. We feel like a real team, especially in this pre-season since I've been back.
'The group is so together and that's something that we need to keep, to make us more of a family and to keep everyone together, driving in the right direction.'
Shaw gave an emotional interview to TNT Sports in the immediate aftermath of the Europa League final loss to Tottenham, when he said everybody in the dressing room, must question whether they are 'good enough' to play for United. Shaw does not regret that statement, but gave context.
'I wouldn't say regret,' he said. 'But I think straight after the game your head's hot and you just say things and you don't think about it.
'I think a lot of people after that final, after that year, had the feeling of, 'You don't know how next season's going to look.'
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'I think we have to be open and honest about that. I think none of us were good enough. I think there always has to be that question about what we think and what's our plans for the next season.
'It's never easy losing a final, especially after the season we went through. It was even harder to take. I think that's why my head was a bit hotter than usual.'