A Manchester derby victory, the Marcus Rashford situation, an injury to Mason Mount, and a relentless schedule, like at Manchester United is hectic for Ruben Amorim.
So hectic has it been that a story that would have otherwise dominated headlines on a normal day has flown completely under the radar.
The Man Utd XI for the City game was leaked more than 24 hours before the match which, for any normal game would be worrisome but for a marquee game, should’ve been a borderline emergency situation.
Instead, it had to be swept under the carpet as Ruben Amorim had much more important things to worry about despite winning the derby.
He has now addressed it head-on and sent a clear message in response to the team leaks, even if it continues.
Ruben Amorim on Man Utd team leaks
Teams leaks are an unwanted obstruction at the best of times but with the current state at Manchester United, they couldn’t have been timed worse.
Not only is the manager attempting to instill a new system and role for the majority of players, but he is continuously rotating which means surprises in pretty much every game.
In such a moment, for a team to give that all away more than 24 hours before a game compromises the manager’s position and undoubtedly makes it easier for the opposition to plan.
The biggest example yet came on the weekend itself, when not many would have foreseen both Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho to be dropped from the squad altogether.
Pep Guardiola would have seen that and it would be naive to think that he wouldn’t have made some adjustments or relayed some instructions to his players based on it.
However, it didn’t help them much, if at all, and that’s the fact Amorim is counting upon, if his confident response to the team leaks question was any indication.
Amorim said on team leaks: “Nowadays, all the coaches know about [things] because I explain a lot of things about the team, the way we play. I want to play the positioning, etc. But I say that because I understand that the coaches have that information, just from seeing, one time, [how] Manchester United play. So I’m not really worried about that. And I also cannot control that.
“So I will do the same things. I prepare the same for games because, for me, it’s more important for my players to go to the game with a clear idea of what and how to do it, than try to hide something to protect the leaking of the starting XI. That is not my focus. I’m not really worried about that.”
Amorim is completely correct
Amorim’s response to how he’ll tackle the issue of team leaks falls right in line with the rest of the answers in a press conference- on point and completely sensible.
He has such fierce confidence in his system and in his ability to relay instructions to his players that he knows that his players can outplay the team regardless of who is chosen.
It is one thing to know which 11 players will start a game and another thing entirely to stop them from winning a game.
That kind of active mentality has been missing far too often from this side which has been reactive more than proactive. Amorim has sent a message that other teams need to respond to what he’s doing, instead of the other way around.
In the process, he has stopped the “find the leaker” game in its tracks, which was threatening to become an unnecessary circus around a team that can’t afford any distractions.
Just another win for Amorim in the media management game where he has done and said all the right things so far.
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