Clinton Morrison: If Amorim doesn't change his approach, it will cost him his job
We're only three games into the season, but pressure is mounting on two managers in particular after disastrous results during the week.
Former Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham, Crystal Palace and Coventry forward Clinton Morrison whas had his say on Ruben Amorim and Russell Martin's positions after damaging defeats, as well as looking ahead to potential dealings in the transfer window before it closes this weekend.
Find out what Clinton had to say looking ahead to this weekend's action with Free Bets.
Ruben Amorim x Manchester United
Q: We have to start by talking about Manchester United and Ruben Amorim after the defeat to Grimsby on Wednesday. It doesn’t look good for him, does it? Can you see it lasting much longer?
He's one of the favourites to be the next Premier League manager to be sacked with sports betting sites....
A: You never know what the hierarchy is thinking at Manchester United, but the pressure is mounting and there are a lot of rumours about him losing his job.
I read that Gareth Southgate is one of the people in the mix if he loses his job.
Upsets can happen, but this is something that has been happening quite a lot for Man Utd recently and it is nowhere near good enough. They were terrible in that first half, and maybe they could have won it after making changes in the second half, but full credit to Grimsby, they were outstanding.
But they should be winning that comfortably with the players they have and the money they’ve spent this summer, so something is not quite right.
I don’t think that system works for the group of players they have. The midfield gets overrun in every game, even against Grimsby, but Amorim doesn’t want to change it, and if you don’t want to change, then you’re going to lose your job.
I think they will score goals, but Onana again last night was a big problem. He just makes too many mistakes.
I feel a bit sorry for Ruben Amorim, but he is too rigid with his formation and the players can’t do it.
If he loses at the weekend and doesn’t get a result against Burnley, I think he is in big trouble.
Q: With all the noise about Kobbie Mainoo - another academy product - being available for transfer, it seems like the club has lost its identity, which is another worrying sign…
A: That is spot on. He hasn’t been playing and isn’t the Kobbie Mainoo of two years ago, but when you compare him to Casemiro then he should be one of the midfield two.
Casemiro has been a fantastic footballer but he can’t get around the pitch anymore, and Mainoo is also better than Ugarte.
I hope they don’t sell him because he is the heartbeat of the club, and came through the academy and it's those players you need at the club who know what it’s like to play for Manchester United.
But they might need the funds to bring in more players, and they do need another central midfielder to play alongside Bruno Fernandes if it’s not going to be Mainoo.
A lot of clubs will be interested in him and he needs to get his football going again because it is a big year and he needs to be playing if he wants to get into that England squad, but Amorim doesn’t seem to want to give him the opportunity.
Q: That game against Burnley looks very significant. Going into the international break a win would be huge, whereas it would seem to spell trouble if they don’t win and it does seem like the kind of game they have struggled with recently…
A: Burnley are coming off a good win over Sunderland and played okay against Tottenham, so they will be full of confidence and it won’t be easy.
Teams used to go to Old Trafford full of fear but that’s not the case anymore, they will go there and think they can get a result.
If he loses, then Manchester United have the break to make the decision on his future and potentially bring in a new manager to work with some of the players.
I think it is make or break over the weekend for Ruben Amorim.
I know it is early in the season, but this is continuing from last season and it’s spiraling.
It’s only three games in and they can only realistically win the FA Cup, and that’s not good enough for a club like Man Utd.
Benjamin Sesko's Early Troubles
Q: I wanted to ask you as a striker about Benjamin Sesko, and him taking the 10th penalty in the shootout against Grimsby…
A: I didn’t get it. I was trying to work out who was left to take a penalty after Maguire and De Ligt stepped up, for a £70 million striker to take the 10th penalty is crazy.
He didn’t have a good game and missed a few chances so maybe it was a confidence thing and he didn’t feel confident taking a penalty.
But if you pay £70 million for a centre-forward, I want them to take one of the first five penalties without a shadow of a doubt.
I’m not judging him yet - it’s hard to judge after one game when the rest of the team is struggling - but he has to be better in and around the box. He looked a bit sloppy and the Premier League is the hardest league to play in so the spotlight is always on you.
Can he handle the pressure? We don’t know yet, but I was very surprised to see that happen.
You’re one of the main signings, they paid big money for you so you have to have the confidence to go up and miss, but at least put yourself before some of the defenders.
Q: It might be too soon to judge his performances, but you would think that his mentality should still be able to shine through, shouldn’t it? Hiding down the queue of penalty takers suggests it might be a bit much for him…
A: I don’t think he has the confidence.
He looks really eager and desperate in front of goal and is just snatching at chances a bit. He’s desperate because they have paid a lot of money for him and he wants to impress.
I don’t want to draw too many early conclusions, but from a mentality point of view he has to be stronger.
The shirt weighs heavy at Manchester United, and it looks like that might be the case with Sesko right now.
But that was true of the whole squad. It looked as though the players turned up and expected to win just because they play for Manchester United and they were playing Grimsby, and they felt they were superior, but it was just 11 v 11
That’s what Amorim was saying, it was a mentality thing. Just because you play for Man Utd, it doesn’t give you the right to win those matches.
That’s why I feel sorry for Amorim because when the players cross the line, they have to put a shift in. Other than changing the tactics, what else can the manager do?
Russell Martin x Rangers
Q: Moving onto another manager in trouble, it was a bad night for Russell Martin at Rangers on Wednesday. Is he another on the verge of losing his job, even after a couple of months?
A: Rangers love sacking managers, but if they lose at the weekend, then the title is over already because they have had too many draws.
That was a horrendous result against Club Brugge to lose heavily in both legs, Brugge are good but nowhere near good enough to win 9-1 on aggregate.
I like Russell Martin as a manager but he doesn’t help himself sometimes. Especially when he comes out and questions his players in public, players don’t want to hear that, just leave it in the dressing room.
At the moment, players are the big power, so I think you have to be a bit more streetwise when you’re coming out and criticising players in public.
In a way, the Old Firm Derby this weekend might be the perfect game for them because they won’t be expected to win, and they had a good record in those games last season.
So they should be able to go into it with nothing to lose, but he is under pressure no doubt.
I think they will stick with him because he has only just gone in, but time runs out and the league could be done within five or six games.
Q: We’ve seen a lot of Martin in the EFL, and new signings Joe Rothwell and Max Aarons too. They’ve all come in for a lot of criticism - do you think players/managers in the EFL take Scottish football too lightly and don’t appreciate the intensity of playing in Glasgow?
A: I don’t think they understand just how hard it is up there.
A lot of people think Scottish football is easy, but there are a lot of competitive teams up there and there is no one bigger in the EFL than Rangers or Celtic.
The scrutiny on them is huge, and there is a lot of expectation on the players every game and that might be when the shirt is too big for some players.
Personally, I’d relish that sort of pressure because I would want to prove to the fans that I am good enough, but we have seen that that hasn’t happened yet.
Transfer Window
Q: Are there any big deals you reckon we should keep an eye on before the end of the window, in either the Premier League or the EFL?
A: I think there will be a few in the Championship, but they will come quite late so it will be quite hard to call.
Nunez going to Ipswich from Norwich would be a big one, at around £8 million and going to your biggest rivals which I don’t really get.
Ipswich will need to be busy after losing Omari Hutchinson so I would keep an eye out for what they do.
In the Premier League, Isak is the one we’re all waiting for. And that will decide on what happens to Strand-Larsen and Wissa because Newcastle need to bring in two strikers if they lose Isak.
West Ham need to strengthen and are bringing Fernandes in from Southampton, but everyone has to do business if they want to be competitive.
Leeds are another who might want to do some business. I don’t think Piroe is a natural number nine and Calvert-Lewin, you just don’t know what you’re going to get from him so don’t be surprised if they bring in another striker.
They might want some strength in depth too because they look short with Ethan Ampadu injured.
Q: And Manchester United need a goalkeeper…
A: I think they are getting a keeper, but he’s 23/24 and might be coming in as a number two, which I’m not sure they need.
After the Grimsby game, the hierarchy have got to say ‘let’s just go and get Donnarumma, whatever the cost’.
He is one of the best keepers in the world and will win points. They have the money, they’re going to sell Sancho, Antony and Garnacho so just go and get Donnarumma - he might cost a lot but he will win them games.
That would be the best bit of business, but it doesn’t look like they are willing to do it.
If PSG don’t want him, then it’s a no-brainer. If I was Man Utd, I’d act on it really quickly.
EFL Pre-Season Predictions
Gab Sutton is the in-house EFL tipster for Free Bets, and before the season started he had a look at how he thinks the EFL will pan out this year.
