Before it Gets Better, it’s Getting Worse at Manchester United

Before it Gets Better, it’s Getting Worse at Manchester United

Chandler Milligan

It’s Déjà vu at Manchester United.

New manager, new philosophy, same players, same results.

As Manchester United bow out of the FA Cup on penalties against Fulham, the same cycle resumes.

Just as close to relegation as a Champions League place in the Premier League, and no route to silverware unless they win the Europa League.

The players will cop the abuse, and the coach will cop the blame.

It’s nothing new.

But can we really keep blaming the coaches for issues that spread far beyond the field?

Ole was at the wheel for over 1,000 days to no avail.

Ralf Rangnick joined with incredible ambition and left in frustration.

He spoke honestly and boasted a fine portfolio in Germany.

Seven months later, the Austrian was out the door.

His claim that the Red Devils required “open-heart” surgery remains accurate.

While Manchester United were settling for sixth in a lacklustre campaign that saw them fail to make a dent in any competition under Jose Mourinho (until December 18) and Ole Gunnar Solskjær, an up and coming Dutch manager was making headlines with his young Ajax outfit.

Erik Ten Hag led his Ajax side to a fairytale UEFA Champions League campaign that saw them draw twice with Bayern Munich to reach the Knockout Phase before obliterating Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu and sending a message to the world.

After defeating Juventus in Turin to progress to the Semi-Finals, the fairytale shattered as Tottenham Hotspur (perhaps inspired by Liverpool the night before) fought from 3-0 down on aggregate to pull the Dutch side’s foot from the door of the UCL Final.

With a domestic double and a ‘Streets Won’t Forget’ UCL run behind him, Ten Hag became one of the most wanted managers in Europe.

Manchester United secured his signature ahead of the 2022/23 season, and this time the Man United faithful were certain that the times were changing.

His first season was a mixed bag.

They lifted their first trophy since 2017 with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United in the EFL Cup Final, while finishing third in the Premier League.

They also lost 7-0 to Liverpool, and were beaten in the FA Cup by Manchester City.

Despite finishing dead last in their UEFA Champions League group, eighth in the Premier League, and exiting the EFL Cup in the fourth round, Ten Hag managed to lift a second trophy as his side defeated Manchester City in the FA Cup Final.

While he boasted more major trophies than opponents like Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea during his spell, the relationship clearly wasn’t working.

A combination of internal and external factors negatively impacted the Dutchman’s progress at Manchester United, and with the club starting the current season with 11 points in the first nine games, it was time to part ways.

So at this point in time, we’re looking at yet another objectively fantastic manager, with a brilliant briefcase of managerial experience behind him, who has once again been shown the door after failing to steady the ship in Manchester.

From serial winners like Jose Mourinho (who once looked like a madman when he stated that, “one of the best jobs of my career was to finish second with Man United in the Premier League”, and now looks like a genius) with his 2017 Europa League title, experienced masterminds like Louis Van Gaal and his 2016 FA Cup, and greener coaches like David Moyes and Ole Gunnar Solskjær who left empty handed, nothing has really changed.

New owners, new coaches, new players. Same outcomes.

Spend 75m over here, and 100m over there, put bandaids on bruises while the real illness keeps spreading.

Ruben Amorim signed for Manchester United on November 1st, 2024.

He came from Sporting CP with five titles and won fans over after smashing Manchester City 4-1 in his final home game in Lisbon.

There was no honeymoon phase this time.

With 12 years of cracks etched in the skin of the Red Devils, the dam well and truly broke when the Portuguese coach touched down in England.

Amorim has five wins in 16 Premier League games and has been knocked out of the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.

He arrived with clear ideas, spoke honestly and realistically about the club’s position and future, and went as far as calling his team “probably the worst team in [their] history” after a disappointing defeat against Brighton.

It has only been four months since Ruben’s arrival, but years of pessimism have bred plenty of impatience.

As the club staggers towards one of their worst Premier League campaigns in history, the desperate need for quick fixes increases.

But those quick fixes just keep the wheel turning.

Nothing changes by repeating the same sequences over and over.

Modern football is cutthroat.

If it’s not fixed tomorrow, #AmorimOut will start trending, and your mate who thought Ruben was their saviour in November, will probably start telling you why he is not by the end of the season.

Before Red Devils fans can really expect change, issues around player recruitment, club culture, long-term planning, academy investment, and player development need to be addressed.

Whether Ruben Amorim is the answer to a 12-year question, or another rung on the ladder back to the top, fans, pundits, and followers should expect hard rains to fall before a new sun rises over Manchester United.