Amorim’s struggles echo the downfall of Erik ten Hag, who was publicly backed by the board before being axed only ten games later. The same warning lights are flashing now. United‘s recent uptick, two wins in three against Chelsea and Sunderland, has offered brief respite, but even that’s been dismissed as the bare minimum. Keane, to his credit, hasn’t called for Amorim’s immediate firing, at least not yet.
“I’d still say give the man a chance, absolutely. Another week,” he quipped, with his trademark smirk in the Stick to Football podcast. But beneath the humour, the message was clear: Keane doesn’t believe Amorim is the man to restore the grit, hunger, and fear factor that once defined United under Sir Alex Ferguson. Instead, he has given his vote of confidence to a certain Argentine who has been a dominant presence in Spain.
If there’s one name that screams “chaos”, it’s Diego Simeone. The Argentine firebrand has ruled Atletico Madrid with an iron fist for 14 relentless years, making him the second-longest-serving manager in Europe’s top five leagues, behind only Heidenheim’s Frank Schmidt. A serial winner, master motivator, and touchline volcano, Simeone embodies everything Keane says United have lost. He’s won two La Liga titles, reached two Champions League finals, and turned Atletico into a European powerhouse built on discipline and defiance. Back in 2016, Simeone admitted he was intrigued by the Premier League, calling it “very attractive,” but loyalty has kept him in Madrid, where he also played for the club twice. His current contract runs until 2027, but his name has never been far from the rumour mill whenever an elite job opens up.
“I’ve said it for years, I’d like Atletico Madrid’s (Diego) Simeone to go in there,” Keane said. “I’d like to see him go there. I know his mate has gone to Arsenal [Andrea Berta]. I think he would just create havoc, but good havoc. He’d rock up to that place. No guarantees, but I’d just like to see his personality, his track record.People might think styles fo football, they scored five against Real Madrid last weekend. He doesn’t like his teams giving up too many goals or chances, but they can play a bit and fight.”
And chaos he certainly delivers. Only last month, Simeone was sent off at Anfield after a heated clash with a Liverpool fan during a 3-2 defeat. UEFA later slapped him with a touchline ban for “unsportsmanlike behaviour.” As Keane put it bluntly: “At Liverpool a few weeks ago, the team aren’t as great as few years ago, but they still had fighting spirit. He’s on the sideline, he got sent off that night, I’d like a big personality.’
For now, though, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is publicly backing Amorim to turn it around; at least on record. Back in September, the INEOS billionaire visited United’s Carrington training base alongside Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox for what Amorim jokingly called “contract talks.”
“New contract, he was offering me a new contract!” Amorim joked. “No, it’s normal things, just to show the support, explaining that it’s a long project. I spoke with him, Omar and Jason, just trying to see all the data around the team. A normal meeting.
“This is football and this is the club with more pressure, maybe, than any in the world, but we want to win. We need to be more aggressive and more clinical. The rest, I think we are improving compared to last year.”
More recently, Ratcliffe, speaking on The Business podcast, made his stance crystal clear.
“He has not had the best of seasons. Ruben needs to demonstrate he is a great coach over three years,” he said. “That’s where I would be. The press, sometimes I don’t understand. They want overnight success. They think it’s a light switch. You know, you flick a switch and it’s all going to be roses tomorrow. You can’t run a club like Manchester United on knee-jerk reactions to some journalist who goes off on one every week.”
Asked about the possibility of the Glazers ordering Amorim’s dismissal,Ratcliffe didn’t flinch.
“It’s not going to happen. That probably sums it up,” he insisted. “We’re local and they’re the other side of the pond. That’s a long way away to try and manage a football club as big as complex as Manchester United. We’re here with feet on the ground. They get a bad rap…but they are really nice people and they are really passionate about the club.”
Despite the encouraging words, Amorim knows talk means little without results. The 2-0 victory over Sunderlandwas a relief, but hardly convincing for supporters craving silverware and swagger. The real test looms after the international break: a clash with Liverpool, the reigning champions. A win could cool the heat temporarily. A defeat could reignite the crisis.
Old Trafford already feels like a pressure cooker once again. Amorim is battling for his credibility, Ratcliffe is fighting to project patience, and Keane is calling for a revolution led by Simeone, the most combustible manager in Europe. If results don’t turn soon, Keane’s prophecy might just become reality. Because one thing’s for sure, Simeone at United would be pure box office.
