Amorim’s bold transfer message justified with Man Utd call vs Everton amid ‘impossible’ hypocrisy
Ruben Amorim has told wantaway players that “Manchester United comes first” but is retaining those players actually in the club’s best interests? Particularly if, as Amorim himself insists, “it’s impossible to manage a dressing room like that”.
In a World Cup year both Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee are very keen on loan moves in January. Mainoo is yet to start, making seven substitute appearances in the Premier League; Zirkzee has featured for just 82 minutes.
Asked about their futures ahead of Monday night’s clash, Amorim was adamant that he wouldn’t consider their exits if it would hinder Manchester United.
“The first thing is that the club comes first, so we have to think about the club and the team, and then everything can happen,” said Amorim.
“I was a football player, I understand everything, and I want to help my players in every situation, so I don’t know what is going to happen.
“I want my players to be happy. I understand the frustration of some players, seeing that the World Cup is there, and I know what it means for the World Cup, but Manchester United comes first. So if I can help the club and the players, I will be happy, if not I have to think about the team.”
It’s up for debate whether Manchester United players who are not playing football is what’s best for the club, not least because their values will be plummeting ahead of next summer if – as looks very likely to be the case – they’re set to be sold as ill-fitting parts in Amorim’s system.
And quite why Amorim has one rule for Rasmus Hojlund and an entirely different one in the cases of Mainoo and Zirkzee is unclear.
Asked if the club made a mistake in allowing Hojlund to leave the club in the summer on the back of Benjamin Sesko’s injury, Amorim insisted him staying would have made the dressing room “impossible to manage”.
He added: “Imagine that Rasmus is here, and you say: ‘If Ben has an injury, you have more time to play’. It’s impossible to manage a dressing room like that, so that’s why we need to improve the kids from academy.
“If you have an injury that is the opportunity for them, and then to have players that can play in different positions, for us to manage the team in a better way.”
Amorim also claimed Chido Obi was promoted “too soon” last season and the 17-year-old wasn’t named in the squad on Monday despite the injuries to Sesko, and Matheus Cunha, whose absence was all but confirmed by Visit Altrincham’s superb bombshell press release on Saturday evening.
“Unfortunately Matheus Cunha has had an accident in training today and will not be able to attend tonight’s Christmas Lights Switch on in Altrincham due to medical reasons.”
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United are two forwards down, as they will be again next month when Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo both leave for AFCON. And while Zirkzee and Mainoo’s game time has been limited in a season bereft of football owing to them not competing in Europe and being dumped out of the League Cup by Grimsby Town, the first real injury problem for United sees Zirkzee in the starting lineup.
Given Amorim’s preference for using Mainoo further forward, the academy graduate will hope that no Mbuemo or Amad, and maybe others through injury, will see him play his part in the busy winter weeks, and perhaps stake his claim for more regular game time when they return.
Whether or not that is the case, Amorim is absolutely right not to let these players leave the club, even if it is giving him an “impossible” dressing room to manage. Others do it relatively easily, mate.
