Napoli coach Antonio Conte took an apparent dig at former Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim for the Portuguese’s treatment of striker Rasmus Hojlund when at the club. Hojlund, who joined United for £64 million from Atalanta, scored 26 goals in 95 matches but wasn’t in Amorim’s plans for most of his tenure there. The Danish striker ultimately was sent out on a season-loan to Napoli and has scored 9 goals in all competitions this season. His loan will be made permanent next summer if Napoli qualify for the Champions League which looks like a mere formality now.
“Some young coaches nowadays are arrogant and don’t want to adapt. They see a young striker struggling, and instead of training him, they blame him. They always complain and blame everyone but themselves, because everything is handed to them on a silver platter,” Conte had said on Friday.
As for Amorim, he was sacked by United a couple of weeks ago, a day after the Portuguese’s outburst in a press conference after their 1-1 draw with Leeds United. Amorim had indicated a breakdown of relations with the club hierarchy in a fiery press conference after United’s 1-1 draw at Elland Road on Sunday. The 40-year-old suggested that the club needed to change if it could not handle commentary from television pundits like former United player Gary Neville.
He left the club having had the worst win ratio (32%), the worst goals conceded per game ratio (1.53) and the lowest clean sheet ratio (15%) of any Manchester United manager, as per Opta.
Since then, United have played under caretaker manager Darren Fletcher who in his two matches in charge saw the club draw 2-2 to Burnley and an early exit from the FA Cup after losing to Brighton.
United are currently under interim coach Michael Carrick, a former red Devils midfielder himself, who last Saturday helped the club defeat Manchester City 2-0 with Bryan Mbuemo and Patrick Dorgu on the scoresheet.
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