[Archive 2026-01-06] "I came to be the manager ... not the coach": Manchester United fire head coach Ruben Amorim

Historical archive — originally published 2026-01-06. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

On Monday, Manchester United football team fired its coach Ruben Amorim after fourteen months in the role. Amorim had met with Omar Berrada, chief executive officer of the team, and Jason Wilcox, the team's director of football, on Friday morning. While discussing his preferred 3-4-3 style, the conversation reportedly quickly spiraled out of control, resulting in Amorim losing his job. Manchester United announced the news of the dismissal at around 10 a.m. on Monday.

After the team drawing against Leeds F.C. 1-1, the coach had said at a press conference that he came to be "the manager, not the coach" and said Wilcox should "do his job". Wilcox intended the meeting to focus on the recent draw.

Manchester United was sixth in the Premier League, almost not classifying for the Champions League, less than four points ahead of Sunderland A.F.C., Everton F.C., Fulham F.C., Brighton & Hove Albion F.C., Newcastle United and Brentford F.C., a precarious position, El Pais reported. Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville communicated to Sky Sports News that he expected better performance, saying he "thought they'd get through another couple of weeks."

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Text adapted from "I came to be the manager ... not the coach": Manchester United fire head coach Ruben Amorim by Wikinews contributors under CC BY 4.0. Paragraphs have been selected and abridged, and formatting adjusted. Contributor history.