Ruben Amorim comments are fuelled by emotion - now Man Utd fans only want to hear one thing

No other job in football carries the stress and anxiety of a manager. From to , we’ve seen that pressure bubble to the surface this week, and the business end of the season does strange things to the psyche and demeanour of bosses feeling the heat.

Amorim’s admission that ’s results on his watch have been “embarrassing” and questioning whether they are ready for football next season if they win the may have been honest. But some things in football are best left unsaid, or kept behind closed doors.

Whether you are a head coach answerable to a director of football, or a manager in charge of the whole football operation, you are the face of a club, the man who carries the hopes of your fans and conveys them to the players.

When things are going well, you take the plaudits. When they go badly, you take the responsibility - but you are the one empowered to do something about it.

If you blame others before you have looked in the mirror, whether you operate in the Northern Premier League or the Champions League, maybe self-awareness is not your strongest suit.

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

Amorim’s public statements were no doubt fuelled by raw emotion, but it’s reached the stage now where the only language United fans really want to hear is the vocabulary of a winner. If he lifts the Europa League trophy in Bilbao on Wednesday night, more than anything it will be a release of pressure.

That pressure valve also best explains Jones’ behaviour on the touchline after Charlton’s tense League One play-off semi-final win against Wycombe on Thursday night.

Kneeling in prayer before the final whistle, and then bursting into tears on all fours, was the portrait of a manager overwhelmed by relief and euphoria.

But it makes you wonder how Jones will manage to contain his emotions if beat Leyton Orient in the final at Wembley!

Should Ruben Amorim stay at Man Utd if they lose the Europa League final?

And it’s a reminder that this is the time of year when managers stand or fall on nine months of hard graft. For some, the season will end in triumph - but for others, like Ruben Selles at Hull, it ends harshly.

I have no idea why Hull sacked Selles after he kept them in the on the final day. What was his remit if it wasn’t to save them from relegation?

This is the club who sacked Liam Rosenior last year - and he is on the brink of leading French club Strasbourg, ’s former team, into Europe. Being a football manager is just about the only profession where people openly debate whether you should be fired.

It’s the only profession where ‘experts’ on the outside pontificate on the job you’ve done when they don’t know half of the stuff that goes on behind the scenes.

Some pundits who have never been a manager have all the answers when they have never set foot inside a technical area. Others might have dipped their toe in the water for a few games, been unsuccessful and returned to the sofa because possibly it’s harder than it looks and maybe it’s not for them.

Unless you have been at the sharp end, even if I only lasted five minutes, it’s a job like no other. But above all, to be a football manager you need personality, you need to communicate - even lower down the pyramid.

Would you rather manage at my level, where you won’t go any higher if you keep making mistakes, or work at an EFL club where you might be thrust into a job and get another two or three opportunities even if you fail in the first one?

At Macclesfield, we have enjoyed a record-breaking season and I have agreed a two-year contract nine months after putting my neck on the block by admitting my job would be untenable if we didn’t win promotion.

But my first season as a manager has been an eye-opener like no other experience after almost 35 years in the game. Even at a non-League level, I can identify with the pressure Amorim, Jones and others have felt this week. And we wouldn’t swap it for the comfort zone in a million years.

and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our