Arsenal Manager Arteta Expresses Sadness Over Amorim’s Sacking by Manchester United
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed sadness over the recent sacking of Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, highlighting the tough realities of football management.
Amorim was dismissed by the Premier League club on Monday after just 14 months in charge. Reports indicate that tensions had grown between the Portuguese coach and senior officials at Old Trafford, including director of football Jason Wilcox.
United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe had previously indicated that Amorim would be given at least three years to manage the club, drawing comparisons with Arteta’s own early tenure at Arsenal. Arteta, who was appointed in 2019, faced a challenging start to his managerial career but has since guided Arsenal to the top of the Premier League table. Heading into Thursday’s home match against reigning champions Liverpool, Arsenal sits six points clear as they chase their first English league title in more than two decades.
In contrast, Manchester United currently occupies sixth place, trailing the Gunners by 17 points. Amorim’s tenure at United saw him win only 25 of 63 games across all competitions, marking the shortest reign for a permanent manager at the club since David Moyes, who was sacked eight months into his term in 2014.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Arteta said, “I can only talk about what I have experienced, and it’s always sad to see a colleague losing his job, obviously. We know where we are, and I think you need support from the ownership, from your staff, from players. At the end of the day, you need to win a lot of football matches if you want to stay in the job, and that’s the reality and the nature of our job.”
Arteta’s comments underline the pressures faced by managers at the highest level, where results often dictate job security despite experience, planning, and long-term strategy. The Spanish coach’s remarks also reflect a sense of solidarity and empathy within the competitive world of professional football management.
