Man Utd opinion: Harry Maguire’s convenient narrative on Ruben Amorim

2 Apr

Harry Maguire came out and said Ruben Amorim had “great ideas” but that they “just didn’t work at Manchester United.”

It sounded harmless on the surface. But listen closely, and there’s a subtle shift of responsibility.

The ideas didn’t work...at United. Not the players. Not the execution. Not the dressing room. The system.

That’s a dangerous narrative, writes Sports News Blitz’s Noah Ngcobo.

Let’s not rewrite how bad it actually was

Amorim absolutely deserves criticism. His United side were tactically rigid, results were poor, and ultimately, he paid the price.

But this wasn’t a functioning team let down by a coach. This was a dysfunctional group of players who consistently underperformed.

We’re talking about a team that finished 15th in the league the previous season, one of the worst campaigns in the club’s modern history.

That doesn’t happen because of “ideas not clicking.” That happens when players don’t perform, don’t adapt, and don’t take responsibility.

Players hiding behind the system

Maguire even admitted the system didn’t suit him, preferring a back four to Amorim’s back three.

Fine. But elite players adapt. That’s the job.

Instead, what we’re hearing now is a polished version of events where the tactics failed the players, not the other way around.

It’s far easier to say “it didn’t work” than to admit the squad simply wasn’t good enough, or consistent enough, to make it work.

Funny how things ‘click’ now

Since Amorim’s departure, results have improved dramatically under the new setup, with United climbing the table and finding form again.

So what changed? The ideas? Or the application?

Because you don’t suddenly become a better team overnight unless something deeper shifts, and that points straight back to the players.

This wasn’t just Amorim’s failure

Maguire’s comments try to walk the line, respectful to the manager, but they ultimately lean into a familiar excuse culture at Manchester United.

Amorim got things wrong, no doubt. But so did the players. Repeatedly. Publicly. Consistently.

And until that is acknowledged properly, not softened with “it just didn’t work,” this cycle at Old Trafford is going nowhere.

Noah Ngcobo has a Bachelor's degree in Media & Writing from the University of Cape Town and is now doing an Honours in Media Theory & Practice.

Noah is passionate about soccer, NBA, UFC, boxing and rugby union, and loves to write about F1 and his hero Lewis Hamilton.

He is a Man Utd fan who also supports the Springboks, Bafana Bafana and LA Lakers.

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