Ruben Amorim finds himself in a seemingly impossible situation at Manchester United. A start of just one point from the first two Premier League matches, followed by a humiliating League Cup exit at the hands of League Two side Grimsby, has pushed the Portuguese manager to the brink.
The manager, with only 17 wins in 45 matches at the helm of the Red Devils, is overwhelmed by mixed emotions during another critical period in England.
On one hand, he sees himself as the next Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, and on the other, he is haunted by thoughts of retirement. At just 40 years old.
"In those moments, I felt so frustrated and angry"
The humiliation suffered on Wednesday against a fourth-tier team was so profound that it led to speculation about his immediate dismissal, but the Portuguese manager remains firm in his position and is thinking about the future.
However, his comments during the press conference ahead of the league match against Burnley were surprising. The coach is visibly troubled and has alarmed fans with some rather absurd remarks.
Ruben Amorim confirmed he has no intention of leaving, but he offered his own reflections on the current situation that surprised Manchester United fans, revealing a rather unusual side to him.
"To be honest with you, guys, every time I suffer a defeat like this in the future, this is how I'll be. And I'll say that sometimes I hate my players, other times I love them, sometimes I want to defend them. This is my way of doing things, and this is how I'll be. And in that moment, I felt so frustrated and angry."
"Sometimes I'd like to quit, other times I'd like to stay here for 20 years!"
The world had grown accustomed to his tough nature from his time at Sporting, but the move to Manchester United has heightened this, as the manager finds himself in a truly difficult situation.
Ruben Amorim isn't talking about being sacked or resigning, but he confessed his contradictory feelings: "Sometimes I'd like to quit, other times I'd like to stay here for 20 years."
"Sometimes I like being with my players, other times I don't. So, I repeat, I need to improve in this area. It will be difficult. But now I'm ready for the next challenge."