Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim justified his decision to once again exclude Marcus Rashford from the matchday squad for the 1-0 victory against Fulham, emphasizing that he would rather have a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player who isn’t giving his best effort.
Rashford, absent from competitions with Manchester United since mid-December, expressed his desire to take on a new challenge in his career. Despite the club’s current difficulties, Amorim remained firm in his principle of not accepting anything less than maximum commitment from his players.
Amorim’s Philosophy
“The reasons are always the same: training and the idea I have of what it means to be a footballer,” Amorim explained. “It’s about training, living properly, and doing it every day, in every detail. If things don’t change, I won’t change. This applies to all players. If they give their best and do things the right way, we can use everyone.”
Amorim also admitted that the current bench lacks the rhythm and creativity to change games but reiterated that he will not make concessions.
“I would rather put [goalkeeper coach Jorge] Vital on the field than a player who doesn’t give their best every day. This is my way of working, and I won’t change,” he said.
On the eve of his 40th birthday, Amorim joked that his time at Manchester United had made him feel 10 years older.
“I’m not 40… I’m 50!” Amorim said to the BBC. “After two months here at Manchester United, I feel like I’m 50.”
Amorim described the win against Fulham as a special birthday gift.
“It’s a privilege to celebrate my 40th here. This feeling of winning and getting the three points is crucial for us. Even if we don’t see huge improvements in the team, winning helps us grow,” he concluded.