Ruben Amorim described Dan Ashworth’s departure from Manchester United as “a bad situation” before his club’s Europa League fixture against FC Viktoria Plzeň, but admitted such turnover can occur at football clubs.
Talking to assembled media in the Czech Republic, the United head coach was asked for his thoughts on Ashworth’s exit as sporting director, only five months into his new role at the club.
“The first thing I want to say since the first day I felt great support from the ownership, from Omar (Berrada), from then also, from Jason (Wilcox), and Dan (Ashworth) was part of that,” he said.
“I felt a lot of support from Dan also, but this is football and sometimes this happens. It happens with players and with coaches.
“I know it’s not the best situation but the important thing is we continue in our way. The path is really clear for everybody and I think this can happen in football.”
Ashworth’s exit from United came as a surprise to those in and around the club. United waited five months for the well-regarded football executive to complete his gardening leave at Newcastle United.
Yet there was friction in the working relationship between the sporting director and Sir Jim Ratcliffe on a number of key decisions across the summer and into the 2023-24 season.
Despite the administrative changes above him, Amorim repeated his belief in the club’s processes. When asked if Ashworth’s departure makes the club structure less stable than when he arrived, the 39-year-old answered: “I don’t think so.”
He added: “I felt since day one the support from everybody, one person leaving don’t change nothing. Of course, it’s a bad situation, like I said, we are talking about a human being, a professional, that supports us as a team but I think the most important thing is the vision is really clear and that don’t change if one person leaves.”
United return to Premier League action against local rivals Manchester City on Sunday.
(Valerio Pennicino – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
