After the 3-1 home defeat by Brighton ten days ago, Ruben Amorim called his side “The worst team might have in the history of Manchester United”.
After he accidentally thrown away a TV in the dressing room minutes earlier, he told the assembled press package: “I know you want headlines … here you go, your headlines.”
In Craven Cottage on Sunday, Amorim decided to give us more headlines – and he considerably increased the Ante.
Criticizing the Wormkrate of Marcus Rashford in training would have yielded a decent soundbite.
But by claiming that he would rather select his 63-year-old goalkeeper coach Jorge Vital than a player who did not show a complete obligation, Amorim cried the most inflammatory quote for season management.
In view of the fact that Vitale played a quarter of a century ago for the third Portuguese club, we can assume that Amorim was not literally and knew very well that he created a fire storm.
United are the highest profitable club in England and Rashford Die has not played since 12 December one of their biggest names. Yet here his manager was openly mocked with a quote that borders cruelty.
This is a strategy with a high risk. It is often said, and is largely true that Sir Alex Ferguson did not publicly criticize his own players, although he has bombed several of his best ruthlessly.
Amorim's predecessor Erik ten Hag Binned Cristiano Ronaldo asked in his reign and then froze Jadon Sancho.
And although these movements were generally seen as an admirable attempt to eradicate 'bad apples' and change a rotten culture, Ten Hag never had the power of personality to make this approach a long -term success.
Many united players found that his 'Hardman -routine' was a not convincing act. With Amorim it seems more authentic. The Portuguese possess charisma and will not be convicted as fake by his players.
But as Elite players are used to being called up to be called up, Amorim's words will have shocked the dressing room. The collective criticism after Brighton's defeat was damn, but this stabbing reprimand of Rashford was personal.
The reputation of Rashford has plumbled on and next to the field for 18 months, but he retains many friends among the United-Net team as the 24-year-old Sancho when ten Hag went for him.
Amorim blamed Rashford's PR advisors when he gave a surprising interview six weeks ago and stated that he was “ready for a new challenge” away from Old Trafford.
And the attacker is currently striving for a loan movement to Barcelona, but can be priced from it, although he is apparently prepared to take a considerable cut to his £ 325,000 weekly wage package.
A permanent summer transfer now seems very likely and would fit both Rashford, 27 and Amorim, although the manager's public criticism will not do wonders for the asking price of the Red Devils.
According to those who know him in Portugal, Amorim does not really enjoy media people in the way his fellow countryman Jose Mourinho.
However, he fully understands how to use the media to influence the story about himself and his club.
And Amorim acknowledges that he is currently in a position of personal strength. United is terrible.
They were terrible before Amorim arrived, they were terrible against Brighton and they were terrible in the 1-0 win over Fulham, which was probably the most terrible game of Premier League football this season.
And yet, while sub -owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe was slaughtered on Sunday from the end of the end, Amorim's name called praise numbers, because the Hardcore supporters of United realize that he represents the best hope of the club.
If fans believe that they have lifted hard money to view a guy with a £ 17 million salary that does not show full dedication, they will fully appreciate the manager.
And let's put our cards here on the table-in the written media we love juicy quotes after the competition of managers.
There are fewer and fewer quotable bosses in the Premier League, with Ange Postecoglou on Tottenham a rare exception.
In such a vacuum there are less entertaining quotes occasionally 'picked up' – my personal favorite is an article that started with the words Claude Puel roared last night …
Although the former boss of Southampton and Leicester Puel never spoke above a whisper and was supposed to be only audible for bats.
Media interviews can mean more to the reputation of a manager and job security, then probably should.
And by giving the media what they want, Amorim will be cut more weakly by those who cover United on a daily basis than Ten Hag, whose press conferences exercises became in the extraction of blood-of-stone.
Amorim celebrated his 40th birthday after three victories of the last four games of United – not that they played particularly well in one of them.
After the Fulham game, Match winner Lisandro Martinez revealed: “He is going to do 'the tunnel' with players on both sides hit him.”
This is a modern view of getting 'the bumps' and we can assume that Rashford took the opportunity to give his boss an extra hard blow.
But while Amorim plays a Ballsy, high-stakes game in his treatment of the player, this is a calculated approach.
Win or failed in the long term, the Firestarter of Old Trafford will not die.
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