Ruben Amorim Reflects on Manchester United Tenure as He Joins AC Milan

Ruben Amorim has recognized making mistakes throughout his time leading Manchester United, describing the period as a major learning curve.

During his first press conference as AC Milan’s new head coach, the Portuguese manager reflected on his difficult 14-month stint in the Premier League, which ended with his dismissal in January.

“It’s hard to explain the mistakes because for that I would have to explain all the context of the last adventure,” Amorim said. “It’s hard to say to you every mistake. The only thing to say is I learned a lot and I did some mistakes.”

He also expressed regret over not having had the chance to speak directly to Manchester United supporters.

“I didn’t have the opportunity, and I’m sorry for that, to say something to the Manchester United fans, I’m really proud to be their coach for a year in that time.”

Amorim, 41, assumed the managerial role at United in November 2024 after Erik ten Hag’s departure. Despite efforts, he was unable to improve the club’s standing, finishing 15th in the Premier League and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham.

His adoption of a 3-4-3 formation and reluctance to promote academy players attracted significant criticism, even though the team was sixth in the league when he was dismissed.

“But now is a different history. There are a lot of things I could do better in the last experience but sometimes it’s like that. You need to learn to find the right spot to reach a different level and that’s my thinking here,” he added.

During his tenure at United, Amorim won 25 out of 63 matches and lost 23. In 47 Premier League games, he managed only 15 wins, resulting in a points-per-game average of 1.23, the lowest for any United manager in the Premier League era.

“Everyone learns from their experience,” Amorim said on Wednesday. “I learned a lot. I did some mistakes. There are some things I will try to change and there are some things you never change. But I think I will be a better (coach).”

He has now signed a three-year deal with AC Milan, taking over from Massimiliano Allegri.