Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has delivered a rare vote of confidence to under-fire head coach Ruben Amorim, insisting the Portuguese manager will be given three years to prove his credentials at Old Trafford.
The extraordinary timeframe comes despite Amorim's struggles, which include a 15th-place finish last season and a disastrous start to the current campaign.
Ratcliffe's comments signal a definitive end to the club's cycle of "knee-jerk reactions."
The powerful minority owner, who controls football operations, used a public interview to massively ease the pressure on the 40-year-old coach, emphasising that he believes a total transformation of a club the size of United is a long-term project, not an overnight miracle.
The quotes that guarantee Ruben Amorim three years
Speaking on The Business podcast, Ratcliffe laid out his philosophy.
Ratcliffe stated: “He has not had the best of seasons. Ruben needs to demonstrate he is a great coach over three years.
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"That's where I would be. The press, sometimes I don’t understand. They want overnight success. They think it’s a light switch.”
The INEOS chief emphasised that a global institution like Manchester United cannot be managed with short-term emotion: “You can’t run a club like Manchester United on knee-jerk reactions to some journalist who goes off on one every week.”
Ratcliffe also drew a direct comparison to Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, noting, "Look at Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, he had a miserable time the first couple of years.”
Why Ratcliffe is backing his appointment
Ratcliffe's unwavering backing of Amorim is rooted in a desire to restore stability and a long-term culture to the club.
The decision to afford Amorim three years is a clear indication that Ratcliffe accepts the job requires a full rebuild of the squad and infrastructure.
The co-owner also dismissed any suggestion that the majority owners, the Glazer family, could intervene to force a sacking, firmly stating, "It's not going to happen."
This move confirms that the power lies with Ratcliffe to see the project through, providing Amorim with the time needed to try and turn the club around.
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