Amorim admits Manchester Utd are in relegation battle after 2-0 Newcastle loss
30.12.2024
OLD TRAFFORD, MANCHESTER, UK
30.12.2024
OLD TRAFFORD, MANCHESTER, UK
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00:00When you have these kind of moments, especially in the big clubs, it's really hard to turn
00:18things around, especially when you don't have a lot of time to train the basics, to
00:25cope with the difficult moments. So we have to acknowledge our position, the way you see
00:31the league, everybody can win everybody. So we have to win games and to focus on surviving.
00:39Just on Joshua Sertzi, when he came off, it was an unpleasant reaction for him to have.
00:45When he went into the tunnel, did someone have to go in there and bring him back out
00:49or did he want to be in the dressing room?
00:52He wanted to be and then he returned in the second half. It was a very difficult moment
00:56and he's a human being. But then he felt the support of the fans in the end so everything
01:02is okay.
01:05How do you end this slump?
01:11It's really hard. I think it's really hard on everybody and you can feel it on the pitch.
01:18I think we showed some improvement in the first games, especially against City and Tottenham,
01:26even in Arsenal the first moment. But we are losing that because of the lack of training
01:32and the lack of belief after so many losses. Some difficult moments when you suffer some
01:38goals in the beginning of the games and then it's really hard during all the games.
01:45It's a really tough moment for everybody and I think the players are losing everything.
01:53The small things that we try to work on in training after one goal, they lose everything
01:59because they don't have the base. We don't have time to build the base to cope with the
02:05difficult moments so it's really hard in this moment.
02:09Is it embarrassing as Manchester United manager that you're talking about relegation?
02:15Yeah, it's also my fault in this moment because I think the team is not improving. I think
02:25it's a little bit lost in this moment so it's a little bit embarrassing to be a Manchester
02:34United coach and to lose a lot of games. But we have to cope with those difficult moments
02:40in the life of everybody so it's a hard moment.
02:47I understand the idea of wanting to have your system and your idea imposed to a group of
02:51players but when you don't have the group of players who can play your system, do you
02:55not at some point have to compromise and change your system to try and get through this period?
03:00It's like playing with three is more or less the same thing as playing with four. We can
03:05change the characteristics. If you play with Ahmad on the winger it could be a little bit
03:11different. We had some games that we were pressing four for two so I don't see it that way.
03:18Of course the players are not... I didn't choose the players specifically for that position
03:23but that I already knew. But I have to sell my idea. If I'm going to change all the time
03:28it's going to be even worse. But I understand that they have a lot of difficulties because
03:34they spend two years playing one way and then they are playing another. With a lot of losses
03:40it's really tough on them and you can feel it during the game. Even today when we try
03:46to score and we are near to score it was more from them than the organisation. You can feel
03:54it but I have to sell my idea. I don't have another one.
03:59I think everyone respects why you're saying you have to sell your idea because of a vision.
04:06I think everyone respects that. If you keep on losing it's impossible to sell your idea.
04:11So then what?
04:12If I change the system completely I don't know if I'm near to win. If I do that and
04:20continue to lose then it's worse. So you don't know, I don't know and I see the game
04:27in a different way. It doesn't matter if you are 3 with 5 or 4. If you know the basics
04:32and if you can train that idea I see the game in this way. So I understand what you are
04:39saying but if I know for sure that changing everything is going to get us near to win
04:46games I will do it.
04:48But could you not have said to them, this is going to be my idea for next season, we're
04:53going to have the summer pre-season, we're going to have all that time to work, which
04:56you obviously haven't had, but for the time being we're going to maybe play a hybrid,
05:00sometimes 3-4-3, sometimes a system that you are comfortable with, just to maybe accommodate
05:04the difficult situation you're in?
05:06When you have a change of coach, especially in this type of club, it's because they are
05:13not winning and they play specifically in the system they were bought for and choose
05:19perfectly for that system. So in that moment, with the idea with 2 years working in pre-seasons,
05:27they were losing. So I'm going to change for that system that I don't believe to change
05:32things to win games? It doesn't make sense. So I can understand your ideas. For me it's
05:38more simple than that. What I think is that, of course, if I think the players with the
05:45right profile for each position, it will be different, but I have to start now this moment
05:52because this team was already in problems. So I have to teach what I know and that is
05:58my focus and I believe on that.
06:01Do you think you can make any additions in January too, given the squad wasn't built
06:05with this system in mind?
06:07We don't have that possibility in January if we don't take some players. So you know
06:13the situation better than I am. So it's not the case that I'm arriving here and I can
06:20spend a lot of money changing all the team. You know the situation. So it's not a point
06:27to talk about that.
06:28One player in that position, Marcus Rashford, said he might be looking for a new challenge.
06:33Was that a statement by you or did you think he was able to change the game in a positive way?
06:39I think about the team. You think a lot about Marcus. I think about the team. When I'm there
06:45I'm not making a point. I just want to win the game and you can feel it. I'm talking
06:49about the idea and the fight for relegation and I want to make a point during the game.
06:56No, I just want to win the game.
06:58You're obviously taking quite a lot of the responsibility on your own shoulders and just
07:02said there that you were to blame. But did you expect a higher basic level from the players?
07:08Because the reason you're losing all these games is not simply down to a system, is it?
07:12It's not just a system thing that's caused the defeat tonight. Is it the improvements
07:16that the players need to make themselves and not hide behind you when they talk about the
07:21system all the time?
07:23I'm responsible. I don't like to arrive here and make excuses. I think people are tired
07:30of excuses in this club. Sometimes I talk about relegation because of that. I think
07:37our club needs a shock and we have to understand that. It's a very difficult moment and we
07:45have to fight for the next game and to implement the idea to win games and to have also performance
07:54because I think we are losing some things from the last games.
08:00Do you feel like you're having to protect the players more than perhaps you would like?
08:03Because you're only just through the door. It's only been for six weeks that maybe you
08:07can't come in front rows and say, it's not just my fault, they've got to take their share
08:11of the responsibility.
08:12I just want to win games. I never watch a coach winning games by not protecting the
08:18players. So what I have to say to the players, I say in the dressing room, you're here, I'm
08:25responsible and we'll have to prepare the next game, try to win. We need desperately
08:29to win one game.