Gareth Southgate responds to Ruben Amorim sacking with statement Ineos will appreciate

Amorim made the move to United from Sporting CP in November 2024. He had already picked up two league titles in Portugal and was known for his strict adherence to a back-three system, which caught the eye of Jason Wilcox, who believed Amorim could take United forward.

But when he took over, the club introduced him as ‘head coach’ instead of ‘manager’, and that distinction didn’t sit well with him.

The issue came to a head 14 months later. Speaking at Elland Road, Amorim spoke out against the title change during a press conference.

The next day, he was let go. Southgate wrote about it on LinkedIn, and his comments line up with how Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos are reshaping roles at Old Trafford. The former England boss said:

“The erosion of a Manager’s authority has been a gradual process over many years,” Southgate wrote. “It has accelerated with the widespread introduction of Football, Technical, or Sporting Directors.”

“They now oversee long-term football strategy,” Southgate continued. “Report directly to CEOs or owners (or both), and sit structurally above the Head Coach.”

Southgate’s growing links inside Manchester United

Even though fans haven’t exactly been calling for Southgate to take over at United, there’s no question he’s well-regarded within the Ineos group, and especially by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

United In Focus has learned that Southgate stays in regular contact with Ineos Director of Sport Sir David Brailsford, even though Brailsford is no longer hands-on in the day-to-day running of the football club.

Now, there’s another link between Southgate and the club. Steve Holland, who is now part of Carrick’s coaching staff as his assistant, previously held the same role under Southgate with England. This connection could become more significant if Southgate is considered for the permanent head coach position in the summer. Even if he isn’t chosen, Holland may stay on under whoever takes over next.