Rooney's Grim Assessment: United's Spirit Died, Is Amorim the Missing Link?

Rooney's Verdict: United's Spirit Has Left and Amorim Faces Scrutiny

Wayne Rooney, Manchester United legend and all-time top scorer, has publicly questioned the club's current climate, saying the spirit of the locker room has vanished and that he doesn't trust Ruben Amorim to steer a credible turnaround.

Speaking on his BBC radio show, Rooney described United as a “broken club,” adding that he attends matches expecting defeat rather than triumph.

Disappointing results and cautious leadership

Manchester United were beaten 3-1 by Brentford last weekend, leaving them in 14th place in the Premier League.

The team has collected 34 points from 33 games under Amorim, who took charge last November after winning the Portuguese league with Sporting Lisbon in two seasons.

Despite the poor run, reports indicate the club's board continues to back Amorim, who was appointed after the title win in Portugal.

A club in need of rebuilding

Rooney argued that some current players do not deserve to wear the shirt and said the club needs a “new engine” if it is to rebound, while supporters brace for a potential collapse.

“I don’t see anything that gives me confidence. In my view, big changes are needed, whether at the manager, the players, or anything else that can bring Manchester United back to where it belongs.”

Rooney, who won five league titles across 13 years at Old Trafford, warned that the club's culture had departed, noting colleagues leaving and youngsters in the academy—urging that the club's future should not be compromised for the present turmoil.

The Brentford defeat extended United's winless away run in the league to eight matches (two draws, six losses)—the longest drought since 2019.

Last season United finished 15th, their worst league finish since relegation in 1974, and their run of form has critics wondering if a broader rebuild is on the horizon.

Amorim, now 40, defended himself after the defeat: “I am not worried about my future; I am not that type of person.”

However, pundits like Micah Richards have warned that Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 setup could hasten his downfall, while Alan Shearer has described him as lucky not to be sacked yet.

Rooney added that coaching is enormously challenging and that Amorim is still young enough to grow, but what is happening at United does not resemble the club he loves. “I hope he can turn things around, but I have zero confidence right now.”

Three central themes emerge: a sense of cultural erosion, questions over tactical direction, and a need for decisive leadership to steer United back toward their traditional status.

The ownership question remains pivotal. INEOS, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, now owns a significant stake and runs football operations, while the Glazer family still holds majority control. The shift has been accompanied by staff reductions—from around 1,100 to roughly 700 over the past two years—sparking debate about what constitutes a necessary transition versus a disruptive reshaping.

Despite the criticism, many observers believe United still has a path back to the top if management can articulate a clear long-term plan and leverages a talented crop of academy players who could form the project’s nucleus. The club’s global fanbase and substantial commercial backing remain valuable assets in any revival strategy.

INEOS's involvement is viewed as a potential catalyst for sweeping administrative and sporting reforms that could restore order and identity. Whether the owners and management can align a coherent vision and implement it over the long term will determine whether United can compete for domestic trophies and European glory again.

Punchline 1: If United's rebuild is a movie, the trailer ends with “To Be Continued… in 2028.”

Punchline 2: If patience were a transfer window, United would own it for three seasons running.