Sports
Amorim wants control at Man United, but his outburst could cost him his job
LEEDS, England — Manchester United‘s Ruben Amorim has taken possession of the Enzo Maresca playbook, read it from cover to cover and picked out the most explosive elements by issuing a direct challenge to his bosses.
And whether by accident or design, Amorim has increased his chances of suffering the same fate as the former Chelsea coach, whose 18-month stint in charge of the FIFA Club World Cup champions came to an end on New Year’s Day following one public outburst too many against the Stamford Bridge hierarchy.
Maresca, who guided Chelsea to UEFA Champions League qualification and UEFA Conference League success last season before winning the Club World Cup in July, stopped short of identifying those with whom he had frustrations at the club when talking about suffering the “worst 48 hours since I joined the club because many people didn’t support us” on Dec. 14.
And while Maresca’s issues with Chelsea’s complex hierarchy of two owners, five sporting directors and an autonomous medical team were known, the former Leicester City coach made sure not to publicly point the finger.
But in his explosive postmatch news conference after the team’s 1-1 draw at Leeds United on Sunday, Amorim called for United director of football Jason Wilcox and their scouting team to “do their jobs” at the same time as demanding to be allowed to be the “manager, not the coach” of the team.
Amorim was actually announced as “head coach” by United when he arrived at Old Trafford from Sporting CP in November 2024, so his call for the title of “manager” was a power play on its own. But by singling out those responsible for player recruitment, Amorim has sparked an internal battle for control.
There is no other way to interpret his comments, and Amorim will know that.
The 40-year-old wants the United hierarchy of Wilcox, CEO Omar Berrada and minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to sanction new arrivals for his beleaguered squad this month to help boost the team’s chances of securing qualification for the Champions League next season.
But after missing out on Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, who is expected to complete a £65 million transfer to Manchester City this week, Amorim said on Friday that there would be no further attempts to sign new players.
The money was there to bring in Semenyo, but not for any other possible signings, which is a reality that Amorim appears unable to accept. And after initially voicing his frustrations at his prematch news conference Friday, he doubled down when asked to clarify his comments Sunday.
It is clearly an issue that is rankling him deeply, but it is the language used by Amorim that points to his growing dissatisfaction at Old Trafford.
“I noticed that you [the media] receive selective information about everything,” he said when asked about his Friday comments.
By suggesting that the reporters covering United are receiving “selective information,” Amorim seems to believe that there is a briefing campaign to counter his messages to the media — not a healthy place for any head coach to be in at a club.
And by saying that he is the “manager, not the coach” (while reeling off examples of peers like Thomas Tuchel, Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho), Amorim is calling for the kind of control that his actual job title does not give him.
It was a similar scenario at Chelsea with Maresca, both in terms of control over the opinion of the medical team and also in his inability to influence the recruitment department to sign the more experienced players he believed the team needed to reach the next level.
Amorim is in the same place right now.
After finishing 16th last season, Amorim has arguably exceeded expectations in this campaign to date by putting United in contention for a Champions League spot. And with the top four within their grasp — and a top-five spot may even be enough for a European spot if England secures an additional place through the UEFA coefficient table — Amorim wants the club to sign a midfielder and wing back to make the difference as the games come thick and fast in the new year.
Amorim wants United to speculate to accumulate, but the club’s hierarchy, mindful of financial restrictions and the prospect of striking better deals in the summer, are reluctant to make additions.
That could be interpreted in two ways. The first is that United simply want to wait until the end of the season and avoid dealing in a market with limited options. But the second scenario is that Wilcox, Berrada and Ratcliffe are losing faith in Amorim and don’t want to risk signing players who may not suit a possible successor.
If Amorim believes reporters are being given “selective” information, he may also believe that second scenario, so he is now calling out his bosses in what feels like a “back me or sack me” ultimatum.
Maresca tried to play that card and lost spectacularly.
Amorim is now facing the same fate, not only because he has gone public by questioning his bosses, but because results are beginning to tail off, with United securing just one win in their past five league games.
For any manager or head coach, a combination of poor results and tension with the club hierarchy is a dangerous cocktail. Amorim has put himself in grave jeopardy at United by speaking out so candidly.
The auction of two new teams of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be held at Jinnah Convention Center in Islamabad at 4:15 PM today. The auction will be shown on television live. As many as 10 prospective buyers will off their bids for two new teams.
The number of teams in the 11th edition of the PSL will be increased from six to eight. The auction will be followed by a special performance by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had put forward the names of Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Rawalpindi.
Out of these six teams, bidders will select two.
The PCB has so far released details of 10 bidders.
The auction will be broadcast live in order to ensure transparency and global visibility to prospective investors and cricket fans worldwide.
Three weeks ago, PCB Chairman Syed Mohsin Naqvi said that the PSL’s 11th edition was scheduled to be held from March 26 to May 3, 2026, while also announcing that the auction for two proposed new franchises would take place on January 8.
The announcements were made during a PCB investor roadshow in New York.
Addressing the event, Mohsin said the PCB had taken administrative control of the Muzaffarabad Cricket Stadium and intended to begin its renovation work soon.
He added that efforts were underway to have the venue ready for the PSL in time, though he acknowledged that completion before the tournament was not guaranteed.
“We are starting Muzaffarabad’s stadium, which we have taken over, and our target is to get it ready before the PSL. If not, then work will be initiated within this year,” he said.
Mohsin also stated that the deadline for submission of bids for the new franchises had been extended to December 22, citing interest from prospective investors.
- Australia chase down 160-run target on final day before tea.
- England form cordon to welcome Khawaja to crease in last match.
- Take credit for making game of it, not being ground into Sydney dirt.
SYDNEY: Australia had a few nervous moments but safely chased down their 160-run victory target before tea on the final day of the fifth Ashes Test on Thursday for a five-wicket victory and a 4-1 series triumph.
Seamer Josh Tongue led England’s battling rearguard with 3-42 but Alex Carey got Australia across the line with a four through the covers in mid afternoon in the company of Cameron Green.
England will take credit for making a game of it and not being ground into the Sydney dirt as previous tourists have in end-of-series dead rubbers at the famous old ground.
Without the bowling of injured captain Ben Stokes, however, defending 160 was always going to be an uphill challenge on a good wicket which allowed the second day-five action of the series.
Stokes exhorted his players from the slips but Australia’s openers got the target under 100 runs before Travis Head, whose third century of the series underpinned his team’s first-innings 567, ballooned a shot to midwicket off Tongue for 29.
Jake Weatherald followed for 34, again caught off Tongue’s bowling, to bring up lunch with Australia 89 runs from their goal.
It was 15 years and a day since England won the final Test of the 2010-11 series at the same ground by an innings and 83 runs — the last time they won an Ashes series Down Under.
The England players formed a cordon to welcome Khawaja to the crease but Tongue’s bowling was less friendly and the lefthander played on for six after facing seven balls.
Labuschagne had been dropped on 20 off Tongue when Bethell failed to hold onto the ball despite an acrobatic leap at backward point.
He was unable to make the most of his reprieve, however, running himself out for 37 with 39 runs still required for victory.
Carey, who made 16 not out, and Green, who finished unbeaten on 22, nearly reprised Labuschagne’s exit with a classic mix-up after an overthrow but eventually made their ground to secure the victory.
Earlier, England resumed on 302-8 but Mitchell Starc struck a major blow to their hopes of setting Australia a testing target when he had Bethell caught behind for 154.
Bethell’s superb maiden Test century offered plenty of promise for the future and was essentially the difference between an innings defeat for England and Australia batting again.
Starc returned to remove Tongue for six to end the innings on 342, the left-arm quick finishing with figures of 3-72 and a total of 31 wickets over the series.
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The Atlanta Hawks have parted ways with four-time NBA All-Star point guard Trae Young, trading him to the Washington Wizards in a blockbuster move, according to ESPN.
The Hawks will reportedly be receiving veteran shooting guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert in the deal.
Washington was Young’s preferred destination, and the two sides were working on a deal to get the 27-year-old point guard to the nation’s capital.
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Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round 1 Game 6 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2023 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. ( Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Young’s agents were having conversations with the Hawks, who sit at 17-21 so far this season, about trading their client out of Atlanta.
There is a mutual connection in Washington, too, as executive Travis Schlenk drafted Young fifth overall in 2018 out of Oklahoma.
It marks the end of an era for the Hawks. Young has been the focal point of their offense since he was taken in that draft. He is the team’s career leader in three-pointers and assists, having led the team to the postseason in three of his eight seasons. The Hawks went the furthest in 2021, where they made the Eastern Conference Finals.
LEBRON JAMES DECLARES HIMSELF ‘TBD’ FOR BACK-TO-BACK GAMES FOR REST OF SEASON: ‘I’M 41′
However, the new era was brewing already in Atlanta, with forward Jalen Johnson taking the next step in his career, averaging 23.7 points per game this season. The pickup of Nickeil Alexander-Walker also helps, as he’s averaged 20.5 points per game in 36 appearances.
Meanwhile, Young has played just 10 games this season, as he’s been dealing with leg injuries, most notably a right MCL sprain.
Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks looks on after the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Five of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on April 25, 2023 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Hawks also get some flexibility on their books, as they could make some more moves. Anthony Davis is reportedly available from the Dallas Mavericks, making him a good target for Atlanta.
Young has $95 million remaining on his deal that runs through the 2026-27 season, which includes a player option this offseason.
Atlanta will be taking on McCollum’s contract, though the veteran guard has a $30.6 million expiring deal.
Through his 10 games this season, Young is averaging 19.2 points, 8.9 assists and 1.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 41.5% from the field.
Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks drives down the court during the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers at State Farm Arena on April 7, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
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Over his career, Young has dropped 25.2 points and 9.8 assists per game, while leading the league in the latter category last season with 11.6 per contest.
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