Ruben Amorim's cheeky frank relationship with partial owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has helped to keep the head coach of Manchester United for next season at least
Ruben Amorim can look forward to more blunt conversations with Sir Jim Ratcliffe, regardless of what is happening in the Europa League final against Spurs. The Premier League threstmen are confronted with the all-or-nothing meeting of Bilbao, with the Victor that saves a soul-destroying season by securing the qualification of silverware and Champions League.
Amorim has done it even worse than his predecessor, Erik ten Hag, in the Premier League, which leads to questions about the future of the Portuguese coach, barely six months after his term of office. The Europa League form from United has facilitated the pressure a bit and Amorim can look forward to a first full preseason as a United Boss, even if his side is defeated by a Spurs team that is just as desperate for a trophy, reports The Times.
Despite the domestic travails of United, Amorim has earned the respect of the club hierarchy, including minority owner Ratcliffe, who admires the passion, thoughtfulness and honesty of the head coach. In contrast to his relationship with Ten Hag, which is said to be too robot -like for the taste of Ratcliffe.
Amorim and Ratcliffe have developed a strong bond. They speak by telephone every week and share messages in a WhatsApp group with other senior club figures. It has also emerged that Amorim is not afraid to put his boss in his place by telling him to leave, albeit lightly.
Ratcliffe said in March: “I really love Ruben. He is a very attentive guy. Every time I go to the training ground, I speak to Ruben. I sit down and eat a cup of coffee with him and tell him where it goes wrong, and he says I have to get F ***! I like him.”
Amorim also talked warmly about the Ineos founder and said earlier this season: “I think we have a really good relationship. We are both a bit blunt and honest in conversations. He really loves the club, he is like a fan.”
Driven by the struggles of the team and the cutbacks that Ratcliffe has made, Amorim has added: “I know he is doing really difficult things.
'But I feel that we have a good connection and we want to succeed here. I already knew it [about his support]. We talk about football, not just about the club.
“It's a good thing, because it is a bit different publicly. It shows a lot of confidence from the owner. I felt it since day one. Since the first day I felt that people really love my work.
“My work is the result, so sometimes it is also harder for me – my relationship with them – than theirs. We are really honest against each other. I am a bit the same.
“I came from a normal family and now I am here in Manchester and I am still the same person. I feel he is the same [type of] Person, so we can talk like that. '