BILBAO, Spain — Ruben Amorim said it’s “hard to explain” why he is not under the same pressure at Manchester United as his Tottenham counterpart Ange Postecoglou ahead of the Europa League final despite both teams suffering similarly miserable Premier League campaigns.
United and Spurs sit 16th and 17th in the Premier League, respectively, as they prepare to face off at San Mames in Bilbao on Wednesday.
There have been suggestions Postecoglou could be sacked even if Tottenham end their 17-year wait for a trophy.
Meanwhile, sources have told ESPN that Amorim will keep his job at Old Trafford even if United lose the final and with it miss out on a place in next season’s Champions League.
“I don’t know,” said Amorim when asked why he doesn’t appear to be under the same pressure as Postecoglou. “I know that in this kind of club, also Tottenham, but especially Manchester United, it’s strange because you have some coaches here that lose some games and are sacked. It’s hard to explain.
“I think people see what we are trying to do and I think people see I’m thinking more about the club than myself. People, especially the board, understand that we have a lot of issues that in the context are really hard.
“I don’t know how to explain how the fans like me in this moment. It’s hard to explain. I want to prove myself to the fans, to the board but I don’t have an explanation for you.”
Amorim has only won six league games since his appointment in mid-November — a stark contrast to their Europa League form as the team have reached a ninth European final in their history.
United are certain of their worst Premier League finish and could yet end the season 17th — just one place above the relegation places — depending on results on the final weekend of the season.
The Portuguese coach has faced criticism of his record at Old Trafford, but he suggested that it counts in his favour that he predicted all of the problems he has encountered.
“The most important thing is I know what I am doing and I explained everything before when we started,” Amorim added. “I explained about the storm [coming]. I explained all the problems we have to the board, so I was so clear and I explained that I will not change my idea.
“So they cannot say one thing about what I said to get the job and then I change my mind. It’s the opposite. I think the board can understand that. I think the fans can understand that, but we will reach a moment where we have to win no matter what.”
Amorim was joined on stage at Tuesday’s news conference by captain Bruno Fernandes, who was able to see the funny side of the question about his manager’s future. Before Amorim was able to respond to the claim that he is not under the same pressure as Postecoglou, Fernandes jumped in to say: “Who told you he is not? He is!”
A laughing Amorim said: “He’ll be a very very good coach. But he has to work on his mindset. He doesn’t know how to deal with people.”
