Owen: Ratcliffe and Co Had Always Harboured Doubts Over Amorim Before His Downfall

Michael Owen has suggested that Manchester United's hierarchy never truly backed Ruben Amorim, and that a recent flash point simply handed them the opportunity they'd been waiting for.

Amorim's tenure came to an end on Monday following comments directed at the club's upper echelon. This despite weathering considerably worse storms during his stint at Old Trafford—most notably his declaration that United represented the worst version of itself in their history, a dismal 15th-place league position, and a humbling cup exit courtesy of Grimsby.

Jim Ratcliffe had publicly stated over the summer that Amorim deserved a three-year window to prove himself, yet Owen contends that scepticism about the manager's appointment lingered throughout the corridors of power.

Owen praised Amorim's refreshingly candid approach and willingness to speak plainly about the club's predicament—a quality that stood in stark contrast to his predecessor Erik ten Hag. This honesty, Owen suggests, may have bought Amorim some breathing room given the severity of his on-pitch results, which ranked among the poorest of any United manager in recent memory.

There was also, he believes, a collective reluctance to keep cycling through managers. Yet behind closed doors, the board remained unconvinced about both the system and Amorim's stubborn refusal to adapt it.

"Once he was going to step out of line," Owen explained, "it almost gave them the perfect excuse to say 'right, well, we weren't happy anyway, so this is the perfect time to do it.'"

Owen drew parallels with Enzo Maresca's swift exit from Chelsea, noting that both situations escalated rapidly. He revealed that prior to the Leeds fixture, which he was covering for television, word circulating behind the scenes suggested a significant rift had emerged—indicating the endgame was already in motion.

"You simply can't say things like that about your team, about your employers, about anything, and expect to last," Owen said of Amorim's post-match comments.

The immediate question now centres on who replaces him. Owen acknowledged that if interim boss Darren Fletcher produces positive results, he could find himself in the position Ole Gunnar Solskjaer occupied—handed successive opportunities that potentially stretch into a permanent arrangement.

However, Owen highlighted several sitting managers worth considering once the season concludes. Oliver Glasner at Crystal Palace, the Fulham setup, and Bournemouth's coaching staff all merit attention, he suggested, alongside various experienced operators currently without employment.

"There's lots of good managers out there," Owen concluded. "The question is whether United can finally settle on the right one."