Ruben Amorim issues call to arms after Man Utd's ‘disaster season'

Yahoo

25-05-2025

The 2024-25 season at Manchester United has been a story of acrimony and asset stripping, chaos and division, incompetence and infighting. At times, it has felt like it has not just been the future of managers, executives, players and – for a brief while – even the club's Premier League status at stake but its heart and soul, too.
The club's worst season for more than half a century has tested the patience of supporters like few before it. It has sapped the morale and energy of a staff that have watched hundreds of colleagues lose their jobs. It has raised serious questions about those running the ship. It left the head coach to declare his team may be the worst in United's 147-year history. And it exposed the weak underbelly of far too many players who have not been good enough for far too long.
The best news is it is finally over, save for the small matter of a post-season tour of Asia, to which Ruben Amorim and his squad flew off on Sunday night, but not before a call-to-arms from the manager.
"If there is one club in the world... that can overcome any situation, it's our club."Ruben Amorim ❤️ pic.twitter.com/zhrtVsPwfu
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 25, 2025
Amorim had revealed beforehand his intention to apologise to supporters for what he termed a 'disaster season', but his post-match address on the Old Trafford pitch also included a plea for the entire club to pull together after one of the most divisive years in its modern history.
'I know it was really hard to support us in many games but now we have to make a choice or we stay stuck in the past because this season is in the past, it's over,' he said. 'We fight each other or we stick together and move forward.
'Six months ago, in my first three games in charge, with two victories and one draw, I said the storm is coming. Today, after this disaster season, I want to tell you the good days are coming. If there is one club in the world that proves in the past that it can overcome any situation, any disaster, it's our club, it's Manchester United.'
The performance and 2-0 victory against Aston Villa was a start. If there had been more games like this, United would not have finished as low as 15th, although this has been a season of such small mercies that there was a certain relief at the club that they scraped above the 40-point mark and avoided the ignominy of finishing 17th.
Madness from Emi Martinez 🤯A poor backpass from Cash, Hojlund jumps on to it, and as he tries to round Martinez, the Argentinian stopper takes him out and is dismissed 🟥📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/lqMDxNuDSK
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 25, 2025
From the first whistle to the last, United were the better team, even before the Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez was sent off for charging out of the penalty area and body-checking Rasmus Hojlund NFL-style on the cusp of half-time.
As frustrated as Villa were by referee Thomas Bramall's controversial decision to penalise Morgan Rogers for a foul on the United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir in the 72nd minute, two late goals from Amad Diallo and a penalty for Christian Eriksen were the least the hosts deserved.
But there were also reminders of what Amorim was getting at when he talked about the need for unity. Before kick-off and again at half-time, dozens of angry fans in the lower south stand protested in front of the directors' box.
With those supporters brandishing posters and banners bearing words such as 'no loyalty', 'no compassion', 'greed', 'exploitation' and 'seats and soul for sale', the United hierarchy were left in no doubt about the extent of opposition to plans to relocate fans to make way for VIP hospitality next season.
Many of those supporters have sat in those same seats for years but now face 'eviction', as they call it. At the same time, hundreds of fans – led by the 1958 group – marched down Sir Matt Busby Way outside the ground with banners and flares to challenge '20 years of theft and lies'. During the game, chants of 'We want Glazers out' reverberated from the Stretford End.
The fanbase is fractured and at odds with the club over so many matters and, on the pitch, Amorim has much to sort during a summer in which he admitted for the first time that United's transfer activity will be 'limited' to an extent by the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules.
Alejandro Garnacho was omitted from the match-day squad after being informed the previous day by Amorim at a squad meeting that he should find a new club. Garnacho joined the rest of his United team-mates in a lap of appreciation after the game and brief chants of 'Viva Garnacho' could be heard emanating from one corner before he eventually disappeared down the tunnel.
But it would be of surprise to no one if the Argentina forward has played his final game for the club. Napoli, who like Chelsea tried and failed to sign the player in January, are one of the interested parties. Amorim was coy when quizzed on the 20-year-old's future. 'He is one more player of Manchester United,' the United manager said. 'I don't know what is going to happen in the future.'
Three players who are definitely going are Eriksen, Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans, all of whom will be released when their contracts expire next month and who were applauded as they said their farewells at the end.
A big summer lies in wait. It seems to have been that way every summer for over a decade but it has never felt truer now. Amorim will hope the healing process starts here.