Amorim Has Severely Criticized Several Manchester United Players, but His Remarks on Ugarte Were the Sharpest

November 11 marks the one-year anniversary of Amorim’s arrival in England to take charge at Manchester United’s Carrington training ground.

The subsequent 12 months have seen the club through turbulence—plenty of lows, some highs, and only recently a glimmer of hope—though the atmosphere was already fraught with underlying tensions when he took over.

Take, for example, the unreported scene in the dressing room after United’s 3-3 Europa League draw away to Porto on October 3 last year, when Erik ten Hag was still in charge. The Dutchman was furious with the team’s slack defensive display;

United had squandered a 2-0 lead and looked set to lose until Harry Maguire’s stoppage-time equalizer. After the final whistle, concerned about the team’s overall form, Ten Hag lashed out at the players deep in the Estádio do Dragão, emphasizing repeatedly that success required a change in mindset and strict discipline on the pitch. The dressing-down lasted a long time.

When he finished, senior players led by Bruno Fernandes stood up and asked Ten Hag and his coaching staff to leave the dressing room so the players could review the game among themselves. This was not an isolated incident. A similar scene occurred after a 0-2 defeat to Newcastle United in April 2023, when Lisandro Martínez also spoke up. United, whose form had dipped after winning the Carabao Cup, then won three straight Premier League games and finished third to qualify for the Champions League. 

Insiders say the mood that night in Porto was different. After the coaching staff left, the players discussed the game. More than one took issue with Ten Hag’s critical tone, and Diogo Dalot delivered an impassioned speech. He stressed to his teammates that regardless of their feelings about the manager, they had to give their all.

Creative friction between managers and players has indeed forged legends—Claudio Ranieri’s tense relationship with his squad still led Leicester City to the 2016 Premier League title—but this incident in Portugal signaled the end of Ten Hag’s era.

Five days after the Porto game, following a 0-0 draw at Villa Park watched by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, United’s hierarchy held a meeting at INEOS headquarters in London’s Knightsbridge to start the manager search. It was not until October 28, after

United’s 1-2 defeat to West Ham United, that CEO Omar Berrada traveled to Portugal again to finalize Amorim’s signing with Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas in Lisbon.

However, anyone thinking Amorim would be softer than Ten Hag is mistaken. The coach, nicknamed "the poet" by Cristiano Ronaldo, can use poetic metaphors but also deliver blunt assessments. This was evident in his press conferences, and he is even more direct in private.

Notably, midfielder Ugarte—who played under Amorim at Sporting CP from 2021 to 2023—received no special treatment at the end-of-season meeting after losing the Europa League final to Tottenham. The day before the Premier League finale against Aston Villa, Amorim publicly told Alejandro Garnacho, "Since I’m staying, you’d better find a reliable agent this summer"—a comment that made headlines when revealed.

Several players faced sharp criticism that day, but Amorim’s remarks about Ugarte were particularly scathing, stating his on-pitch commitment was far below his level at Sporting. He accused the Uruguayan of having grown complacent, admitting, “I don’t recognize the player he was back then.”

Criticizing a former player in front of the entire squad did shake the dressing room, while also revealing Amorim’s strict but fair criteria for assessing players’ commitment. It echoes how Sir Alex Ferguson would occasionally make veiled criticisms of Ryan Giggs—who knew the manager was really warning Nani, who was less resilient under pressure.

Amorim’s preference for delivering sharp feedback publicly rather than one-on-one has become a hot topic among players. During United’s end-of-season tour, several players discussed it while chatting on the rooftop of the W Hotel Kuala Lumpur. Some crave more personalized guidance, but he wants fringe players to prove their worth through training rather than private talks.

Captain Bruno Fernandes is one of the few who can speak to Amorim alone, though it is usually the captain who initiates the conversation. This mutual relationship has allowed him to retain his role as dressing room leader, a responsibility inherited from Ten Hag’s era. Beyond that, Amorim never joins players in social activities, deliberately keeping distance to maintain authority.

Improving professionalism and work ethic has been a theme throughout Amorim’s first year. In a new-season team meeting, he specifically addressed disciplinary issues such as players going out drinking and arriving late to training. His commitment to attending club meetings and open communication has won praise from staff.

The summer signings of Mbeumo and Cunha—two Premier League stars who love football—have significantly boosted training atmosphere and quality. Amorim established a six-man leadership group (Fernandes, Maguire, Tom Heaton, Lisandro Martínez, Noussair Mazraoui, and Dalot) to delegate matters like discipline management to the dressing room itself.