Micah Richards has questioned whether Ruben Amorim fully understands the intense media scrutiny that comes with managing Manchester United, suggesting that the Portuguese coach’s comments are making his job even harder.
United’s struggles continued with a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham on Sunday, pushing them down to a shocking 15th place in the Premier League.
James Maddison’s first-half goal was enough to hand the Red Devils their 12th league loss of the season their worst top-flight campaign in over three decades.
With several key players sidelined due to injuries, Amorim faces an uphill battle to turn things around, especially with an away trip to in-form Everton looming.
After the Spurs defeat, he dismissed suggestions that his job was under threat but admitted that managing United is “so hard.”
While critics have focused on his rigid tactical approach, Richards believes Amorim’s biggest issue lies in how he handles the media.
The former Manchester City defender feels that the United boss is unintentionally making things worse for himself.
“Some of the comments he’s making, like saying he’d rather play the goalkeeping coach than Rashford or his back-and-forth with Ange before the game it’s just naive,” Richards said on The Rest Is Football podcast.
“At first, I thought he had conviction, but now I feel like he doesn’t understand the scrutiny that comes with being United manager.”
Richards also highlighted Amorim’s tendency to provide headline-grabbing quotes, which he believes only adds to the chaos surrounding the club.
“When he says this is the worst United team in history, that becomes a headline every week. If he doesn’t rate Rashford, fine that’s his decision.
But he keeps feeding the media with comments that make his job even harder. Everything is just chaotic.”
Richards urged the under-pressure manager to focus on results rather than fueling unnecessary controversy. “He needs to stop giving people nuggets that turn into bigger stories,” he added.
Amorim also came under fire for not introducing any academy players until the dying moments of the Spurs clash. However, he defended his decision, insisting that he is being cautious with United’s young talents.
“The Premier League is the hardest competition in the world,” Amorim explained. “I try to be careful with them. The team was pushing for a goal, and I didn’t feel the need to make changes. But they will play.”
With pressure mounting and results worsening, Amorim’s ability to navigate both on-field challenges and media scrutiny will be key to his future at Old Trafford.