Ruben Amorim believes his turbulent spell at Manchester United has prepared him to handle almost any level of criticism after facing constant scrutiny from former club legends during his time at Old Trafford.
The Portuguese manager spent 63 games in charge of United between November 2024 and January 2026, winning 25 matches before eventually leaving the club. His tenure was frequently overshadowed by criticism of his results, tactics and team selections, with former United players regularly offering their opinions in the media.
Now in charge of AC Milan, Amorim was asked about the reaction to his side’s recent 1-1 draw with Juventus. Rather than appearing concerned by the criticism, the 41-year-old suggested his experience in Manchester had given him a much tougher introduction to life at a major club.
“Criticism is normal,” Amorim said. “It’s impossible that it’s more than what I received at my previous club!”
The former Sporting CP boss was then asked specifically about criticism from former players and club legends.
Amorim pointed to his experience at United, where former players such as Gary Neville and Paul Scholes regularly analysed his performances and questioned decisions made during his difficult spell.
“I was in a club in the past with a lot of legends, and they have big opinions, and they talk a lot about things,” he said. “They lived in a time that was completely different.”
Amorim’s comments come as former United midfielder Michael Carrick faces growing scrutiny of his own tenure at the club.
Carrick has already received criticism from former United captain Roy Keane, who has questioned whether the former midfielder has the credentials required to manage the club.
Neville has also drawn comparisons between Carrick and previous United managers Amorim and Erik ten Hag following United’s 2-2 draw with Everton.
Speaking on his podcast, Neville criticised United’s failure to kill off the game after taking the lead and expressed concerns about their defensive performances.
“Teams think they’ve got a chance against them,” Neville said, pointing to United’s inability to put Everton away when they were in control.
He also questioned the decision to make late changes to the defence, particularly with Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot coming off late in the match.
Neville argued that United need greater consistency in their defensive line and warned that their tendency to concede goals could continue to hurt them as the season progresses.
“I don’t think it’s going to go away and that’s my big fear,” Neville said. “I think conceding goals is going to chase them and hunt them down the road.”
His comments highlight the level of scrutiny that continues to surround the United manager’s position, with Carrick now experiencing the same intense attention that Amorim and Ten Hag faced before him.
For Amorim, however, that experience appears to have changed his perspective. Having dealt with criticism from supporters, pundits and former United players during a challenging period at Old Trafford, the Portuguese manager believes criticism at his current club is unlikely to surprise him.
Carrick will now hope to produce consistent results and silence his critics as the season develops, while Amorim will look to move on from his difficult United experience and focus on building success at AC Milan.
