Ruben Amorim wants to change the culture at Manchester United
Manchester United experienced one of the most disappointing periods in their history, finishing 15th in the 2024/25 Premier League season. After losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur, United are now certain to be out of European competitions in the 2025/26 season. This decline at Old Trafford has deepened the lines of worry on the faces of the fans. The trophy cabinet has been empty for several seasons. Fatigue is visible instead of energy on the field, and tension has replaced unity in the dressing room. Ruben Amorim took the responsibility of lifting the club mid-season in 2024/25, but he failed in the first official test.
For the last few seasons, United were trying to move forward only in name. There was confusion in the name of strategy, and the lack of seriousness in the matchday attitude has been visible. This careless atmosphere hindered the performance of the team as a unit. Now, Amorim is sitting with a vow to change the atmosphere inside the dressing room. With his arrival, visible changes have slowly begun. The change will have to start from the dressing room, where the lack of discipline is felt the most.
New rule in the dressing room
The club have sent a message that the ambition is still alive by making high-profile signings like Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo in the summer window. Adding young talent Diogo Leon to this shows that the club are also focusing on the long-term project. Now, in an interview with the New York Times, Amorim clearly said that this time the rules will be strict. He will point out the mistakes in training in front of everyone. The Portuguese manager wants the players to take responsibility for their own mistakes.
“The rules are not to treat the players as babies, they have sons. I treat them as a man, but they have rules now. And that can change the way you train. If you don’t train in the right way, I have footage to show you. And I show you in front of everybody. So I’m always on top.”
Meanwhile, with the arrival of these three signings, both squad depth and competition have increased in our team. It can be understood that if the performance is not consistent now, the place can slip out of hand. This fear factor might make Manchester United hungry again.
We believe that Amorim’s new rule-book could prove to be important. In the past years, United’s squad have lagged behind in discipline and accountability. When the manager catches a mistake directly in front of everyone, the players will train with seriousness. Some big names will feel embarrassed, but this embarrassment will force them to work hard. In football dressing rooms, there needs to be a perfect balance of both fear and pride. Ruben Amorim probably wants to bring back that lost balance. If hungry players like Cunha and Mbeumo embrace this rule, then there will be a ripple effect in the entire squad.
United’s fan base have been wanting a fightback for a long time. This new strict culture will feel uncomfortable in the initial stage, but this discomfort can bring consistency in performance in the coming seasons. If Amorim remains ruthless and the players stick to the rules, the passion for winning could return to Old Trafford.