Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said on Thursday that his players cannot “hide” after a gloomy season reached a fresh layer when they were chased away after a friendly defeat in Malaysia.
United finished 15th in the Premier League and did not succeed in winning a trophy, and then immediately stood out for lucrative friendly games in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong on Sunday.
But if his team hoped for a respite in Asia, they didn't get it, with a 1-0 defeat against a Southeast Asian XI in the Malaysian capital on Wednesday.
The players of United are getting away with angry who sounded in their ears and now opposite the representative team of Hong Kong in another friendly on Friday.
“We had the season we had, and it is not easy to face fans around the world, so it's a time that is difficult for you, s and we want to finish the season,” Amorim said about the Tour at the end of a long and bad campaign.
“But at the same time we want to give something to the fans. We travel, we don't have time to adjust, we don't have that much time to have contact with the fans and to give them everything they deserve.
“But it is clear that we cannot hide … If there is one thing that is really important in this club, it is that we have to face our fans at the moment and give something to our fans around the world.”
Amorim, who took over from Erik ten Hag during the season, but did not succeed in causing an improvement in the performances, said that his side of first teamers and young people was “not really focused” in the loss of Wednesday.
“Everyone can feel it. But I understand the fans (Booing), I understand the players and you also understand that we want to give something the fans, but it's hard at the moment,” he said.
The 40-year-old Portuguese said he had learned that Manchester United manager meant that he was 'more than a coach'.
“You have to improve as a person, you have to improve as a leader. Sometimes, after the game, you see that I am frustrated, I try to control that.
“If you have results, you can manage everything so much more easily,” he added.
Heavy rain achieved the Hong Kong Stadium of 40,000 capacity on the eve of the game, and Amorim will not have new injuries to complete the campaign.
“The weather looks like Manchester, so we feel at home,” Amorim joked.
“If we are professional and we concentrate at stake, this is the best way to protect our players against injuries,” he added.