Manchester United's Amorim on problems at the club, job losses, Ange Postecoglu's Spurs and winning a title by 2028 (Full Presser)

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Manchester United's Amorim on problems at the club, job losses, Ange Postecoglu's Spurs and winning a title by 2028  Carrington, Manchester, UK

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00:00Hi Ruben, it's been a week or so since we've seen you, how good was that to have that time on the training ground?

00:06In terms of the injured players, are you able to provide an update on where we might see Mason Mount, Luke Shaw, Johnny Evans?

00:13No, it was a good week until two days ago, we had some problems also, so we don't have players back, maybe we'll have one or two issues.

00:24But we are waiting, we have one player who is also sick, so we'll see the team on the weekend.

00:33But it was good to work with the team, to feel the players and to try to improve our performance.

00:39So with setbacks in terms of injuries, serious? It doesn't feel like you're going to give us any names.

00:46No, we will see at the weekend.

00:49How big is this match against Tottenham? Obviously two sides that have a lot of expectations but haven't lived up to expectations.

00:55Every game now, every game until the end of the season is a big game for us.

01:00We need to improve the way we play football, but especially we need to win.

01:06No matter what, we need to win and for that we need to improve the way we play football.

01:13Ruben, there's been more news this week about potential redundancies at the club.

01:18Ineos have obviously had issues with Ben Ainslie, they've had issues with the New Zealand Rugby Union.

01:26Are you concerned at all that that's going to have any impact on your attempts to rebuild this team over the summer?

01:34Our biggest problem now is Tottenham.

01:37We know that the moment of the club, of course I have to understand all these problems,

01:44but that problem of our club is not new.

01:48You already knew all the rules of fair play.

01:51We have a problem at the moment, but that cannot influence the way I coach the team and prepare the next game.

02:00My focus is on that and not on the other things.

02:03As a coach, you have to feel as though you're going to be able to make things better.

02:08You always plan forward, every coach does that.

02:11That surely has an impact on whatever discussions you're having.

02:17Here it's simple, to do something we need to sell players.

02:21My focus is to prepare the game.

02:24We cannot do it now, the window is closed.

02:26We need to focus on the games that we have, especially the next one.

02:31Then in the summer we will see.

02:34We know that the club has an ambitious target to win their 21st title by 2028.

02:39Was that something that was mentioned to you when you joined?

02:41Do you think that's realistic targets?

02:44Yes, we talk about that.

02:47Our focus, I said since day one, is to win the Premier League.

02:54We can change everything in a few years.

02:58I don't know how long it's going to take.

03:01In this moment we are in a difficult situation.

03:04The way we play, the games that we don't win, we know that.

03:09But we need to work every day and focus on the little steps.

03:13Winning the next game, prepare very well for the next summer and then we will see.

03:20Ruben, Ange Postacoglu has been criticised at times this season for sticking to his principles.

03:26How important is it that as a coach you don't deviate away from your philosophy?

03:31Do you admire him for that?

03:33Yes, I'm a huge fan of Ange Postacoglu.

03:36Of course, I'm from a different culture.

03:38I'm Portuguese and you know all the Portuguese coaches.

03:43They can adapt and I adapt.

03:45The simple thing is that I use one system in the moment.

03:49Because I believe if you work on that system you can play in different systems at the same time.

03:55So that is my idea.

03:57But we are not winning games and I understand the connection between me and Ange.

04:03We have the same problems.

04:08In my opinion, with all due respect, I'm in a bigger club with a bigger pressure.

04:13So I understand the connection.

04:15I think it's really important as a coach to follow his principles.

04:22Postacoglu is under a bit of pressure with the results they've had.

04:26Can you afford to feel any sympathy for him?

04:29Of course.

04:30Especially because he's a good guy.

04:32He's a very good coach.

04:34He wants to play football in the right way.

04:37That for me is a good thing.

04:42We know that when we choose this kind of profession there are a lot of good things.

04:48But then you have to feel that pressure when you don't win.

04:54Ruben, away from home there seems to be a bit more relaxation with your team.

04:59A lot of pressure at home and all the home records.

05:01Not fantastic at the moment.

05:02Can you feel like yourself within the players?

05:04I feel it in the game, the performance.

05:06Because you see it, I see it.

05:08I see the same thing.

05:10Especially in the big games when you are a little bit the underdog.

05:16That is a thing that we should not feel in any game.

05:21Because we are Manchester United.

05:23But I feel the players are more free.

05:25But then when you have to win the game,

05:28you have to be more dominant in every aspect of the game.

05:33I feel that we are not quite there.

05:37So I feel the team, sometimes the feeling is different when we play away.

05:42Jürgen, you mentioned the summer.

05:44I know it's only been January and closed.

05:46But fans would be interested to know what the landscape might look like.

05:49Because it feels like it's going to be an important window for you to get the players to fit your style.

05:54Is that the case though?

05:55You need to sell to buy even in the summer?

05:57You know the rules better than me.

06:00So our focus now is to win these games.

06:05And then we have time to focus on that.

06:07I'm really, really focused on winning the next game.

06:13I know you asked about Chido Obi last week.

06:15But did you see his performance in the week for youth team?

06:18And at academy level, do you see any players possibly coming into the first team?

06:23I don't want to say names.

06:25Because we have to be careful on that.

06:28They are working with us.

06:29We had some problems this week.

06:31We called some young players to be in our training.

06:37So we will have that evaluation.

06:40He's one of them.

06:44There's a 12-point gap between the bottom three and where you are right now.

06:48It seems like a big gap on the surface.

06:51Is it dangerous to feel safe at this stage?

06:54Do you think it's dangerous to fall back on that cushion?

06:58No, we are not.

06:59It's impossible.

07:01If you see the table, it's impossible to feel any type of comfort in this moment.

07:07We just want to win, to improve our performance.

07:10Because we are Manchester United.

07:12We are always talking about the same thing.

07:16It doesn't matter if it's up or down.

07:18We need to win the next game.

07:20We need to improve.

07:21We need to perform better.

07:24So there is no comfort in any situation in this club.

07:31There have been a couple of instances recently of players leaving the club

07:34and then going to other clubs and maybe better showing their qualities.

07:37Anthony started well at Betis, Scott McTominay before your time at Napoli.

07:41Do you think that shows how difficult it is for a player to perform here?

07:45That the pressure and the spotlight is so great

07:47that when perhaps they move somewhere else,

07:49they kind of feel liberated, a bit more freedom perhaps?

07:52I don't know.

07:53I don't know.

07:55Sometimes it's like that.

07:56It can happen in any club.

07:58This is a club with a lot of pressure.

08:02In this kind of club, we have to have a base of a team

08:06to put younger players, talented players that came from abroad,

08:11that came to a team that has one strong base

08:14that can help them to cope with that pressure.

08:17In this moment, we don't have it.

08:19So it's really hard also on them.

08:22And you feel it in Dorgu.

08:23He was a little bit nervous in the first moment.

08:27But if you are playing better as a team,

08:29you have a strong core that can cope with this

08:32and are winning games and are really strong in the games

08:35like it was supposed to be in this kind of club,

08:40it will be more easy for these kind of players

08:43to be free to play football.

08:45But football is like that.

08:47When you reach that level,

08:48you need to cope with the pressure.

08:51Sometimes they go to other clubs

08:54and they are more free without pressure

08:56and they play better.

08:57I don't know.

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