Sir Alex Ferguson’s words after Louis van Gaal was sacked still apply today after Ruben Amorim was relieved of his duties by Manchester United
14:34, 06 Jan 2026Updated 15:43, 06 Jan 2026
Sir Alex Ferguson’s thoughts still hold weight today after Ruben Amorim was sacked (Image: Photo by John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Another Manchester United manager has been sacked and this time it was goodbye to Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese lasted just 14 months before getting the bullet with United three points off fourth place in the Premier League.
Granted, United spent plenty in the summer but new players take time to adapt to new environments and new systems. United had shown signs of progress under Amorim this season, even if recent results haven’t been up to scratch.
As well as recent performances on the pitch, there was reportedly a breakdown in relations between Amorim and the board, with the manager sending a blunt message to them following the 1-1 draw with Leeds United, where he insisted he was the manager, not the coach.
Including caretakers and interim managers, United have employed 10 different people in the hot seat since Sir Alex left the club in 2013. David Moyes was the first of those but he didn’t even last an entire season in a sign of the troubles that were to come for future incumbents in the Old Trafford hotseat.
Louis van Gaal, boasting a better footballing CV, was then introduced to bring in immediate success, spending plenty of cash in the process. However, he was sacked in 2016 – just two years into his tenure.
While two years may seem a long time, Sir Alex himself was almost sacked in 1990 but went on to become a legend, winning 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, four EFL trophies and two Champions League trophies.
In March 2016, prior to Van Gaal’s sacking, Ferguson gave his thoughts on the Dutchman’s position and highlighted injuries, therefore backing the manager.
“It is dead easy to be critical,” Ferguson said. “You have to be realistic about some things – the number of injuries he has had: Phil Jones has played only seven games this season, Ashley Young, [Antonio] Valencia, [Luke] Shaw, these are big losses.
Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the most successful managers ever(Image: Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
“It doesn’t matter which team you are, if you have players missing of that calibre it has to have an impact on the team.
“The other aspect which is always easy to forget there are also five new players in their first season at United, and two are young players in [Anthony] Martial and Memphis [Depay] and their promise is good.
“You have to have some patience being a Manchester United fan and they have shown that over the years; in Matt Busby’s time, in my time. For 150 years of history, it is worth having a couple of years on the quiet side of success because they will always come back and come back strong.”
Sir Alex’s thoughts here are as relevant today as they were back then. No United manager since Fergie has managed to last more than three years in the job, creating instability and the sense of a revolving door at Old Trafford.
Amorim was trying to build something at United and was implementing his 3-4-3 system that required time for players to learn how to play in it. They were sixth in the league table, he improved them largely from last season and Champions League football was very much on the table for the team.
The reality right now is that United are only a few points off the top four at the halfway point after finishing 15th last season. Deciding to sack Amorim seems harsh on that alone, irrespective of what has happened off the pitch.
Ultimately, United are now back to square one once more. A new manager will have to work with a group of players that are not his own – Ferguson may well be hoping that whoever’s next to step into his shadow is given the time and the patience to finally make a success of things at Old Trafford.