Manchester United coach Amorim out one day after provocative comments about club structure

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Ruben Amorim is out as coach of Manchester United after just 14 months in the job.

The Premier League club announced on Monday that Amorim's reign was over, with the decision coming less than 24 hours after he made provocative comments about his position within United's hierarchy.

“With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club’s leadership has reluctantly made the decision that it is the right time to make a change,” United said in a statement. “This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish.”

United said youth coach Darren Fletcher would take charge of its match against Burnley on Wednesday, but did not set a timeframe for a permanent replacement.

Amorim's departure comes after a fallout with United sporting director Jason Wilcox, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the details have not been made public.

The person said Wilcox tried to provide feedback following the disappointing 1-1 home draw against last-placed Wolves last week, which Amorim did not react well to.

That preceded Amorim's outburst on Sunday, following another draw, against newly-promoted Leeds, when the Portuguese sought to clarify his position.

“I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach of Manchester United,” he said. “And that is clear.

“I’m not going to quit. I will do my job until another guy is coming here to replace me.”

The United job has proved one of the most difficult in world soccer since club legend Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, with Amorim the sixth permanent manager or coach to be discarded in that time.

He leaves the 20-time English champion having failed to deliver any silverware and after overseeing a slew of unwanted records, including its lowest finish in the Premier League era last season.

Last January he said his team might be the worst in the club’s history.

And he apologized to fans in May for what he described as a “disastrous” campaign when United finished 15th in the standings, recorded its highest number of losses in the modern era and lowest points total.

Amorim was considered one of the brightest coaches in Europe when United hired him from Sporting Lisbon to replace Erik ten Hag in November 2024 at a cost of $12 million. He had led the Portuguese giant to two league titles in four years and was seen as the ideal candidate to take United back to the summit of English soccer after more than decade since it was last crowned champion.

But results plummeted in his first season and defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final ended hopes of qualifying for the lucrative Champions League.

Still he was given more than $300 million to reshape his squad with signings like Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo. But the struggles have continued this term, with United winning only two of its first six games in the league and suffering a humiliating loss to fourth-tier Grimsby in the League Cup.

Results have improved, but just three wins from the last 11 games have seen United fail to close the gap on the top three in the standings.

Amorim faced constant questions about his tactics - opting for a system with wingbacks that did not seem to suit his players. He was also questioned over his reluctance to play one of United's most talented home-grown talents in Kobbie Mainoo, who was largely overlooked despite previously being a key player for England.

There was growing impatience within United about how long it was taking for his tactics to evolve, the person said. And the Wolves game, which saw him revert to a much-criticized three-man defense against the worst team in the league, appears to be have been the tipping point that prompted Wilcox to give feedback.

The conversation with Wilcox took place on Friday. On Monday morning, Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada informed Amorim at the club’s training ground that he was being fired.

United dominated England’s top flight since the inception of the Premier League in 1992 — winning 13 titles. But it has not been crowned champion since Ferguson's retirement.

Top names have been hired since then, including Champions League-winning coaches Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, but they have only brought limited success.

Amorim's predecessor, Ten Hag, won trophies in each of his two full seasons, reached three major finals and qualified for the Champions League. But that was still not enough to save his job after a troubled start to his third campaign.

Amorim was the first head coach appointed under the minority ownership of British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, who assumed control of United's soccer operations from majority owners, the Glazer family.

He is the latest high profile hire to come and go under Ratcliffe, following the swift exit of former sporting director Dan Ashworth after less than six months.

Ratcliffe has sought to control spending since investing $1.3 billion for up to 25% in 2024 and has made sweeping cuts. But the departures of Ten Hag and Ashworth alone cost $18 million, according to United's accounts. That was on top of the fee paid to release Amorim from his contract at Sporting Lisbon.

Amorim's United contract ran until 2027. It is unknown what severance he will be due.

The AP approached Amorim's representatives for comment.

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FILE - Manchester United's head coach Ruben Amorim watches from the sideline during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Sunderland at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson, file)

FILE - Manchester United's head coach Ruben Amorim walks on the pitch at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and West Ham at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson, file)

FILE - Manchester United's head coach Ruben Amorim reacts after Leicester's Bobby Decordova-Reid scored the opening goal during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Manchester United and Leicester City at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson, file)

FILE - Manchester United's head coach Ruben Amorim walks on the pitch after the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson, file)

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Former Michigan State and NBA player Paul Davis has apologized for verbally abusing an official at the Breslin Center and being removed from his seat during the 12th-ranked Spartans’ 80-51 victory over Southern California.

Davis addressed his actions with reporters and expressed remorse on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after an official pointed him out and asked him to be escorted away from his seat near the court.

Davis said he apologized to official Jeffrey Anderson during a conversation on Tuesday. He said he's sorry for being a distraction for Michigan State's players during their strong start this season. Davis also apologized to Michigan State fans at the game, and watching on television, along with parents and kids for not being a role model.

Davis called Michigan State coach Tom Izzo several hours after the game and wanted to publicly address his mistake. Izzo coached Davis when he played for the Spartans 20-plus years ago.

With six-plus minutes left and the Spartans leading the Trojans 67-46, television cameras showed Izzo shouting across the court at Davis after the officials stopped the game.

“What are you doing,” Izzo screamed.

Izzo said after the game that Davis was one of his favorite guys.

“He’s always calling and doing things, but what he said, he should never say in the world,” Izzo said. "That ticked me off.”

The 41-year-old Davis played for Michigan State from 2002-06 and was a three-year starter. He had career averages of 13.2 points and seven rebounds, including 17.5 points and 9.1 rebounds his senior season. He played in the NBA with the Los Angeles Clippers from 2006-09 and the Washington Wizards in 2009-10.

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FILE - NCAA officials Matt Potter, left, Tim Clougherty, center, and Jeffrey Anderson, right, confer to decide whether Seton Hall's Angel Delgado committed a flagrant foul during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Creighton in Omaha, Neb., Jan. 17, 2018. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)

FILE - Michigan State's Paul Davis, left, and Illinois' James Augustine fight for a rebound during the first half of a college basketball game, March 4, 2006, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis, File)