Players need belief and encouragement in these troubled times rather than being told they are the worst team in history – even if it might be true

Speaking to a manager after a painful defeat can often be a tense experience. Just take the numerous spiky exchanges Ange Postecoglou has had with reporters during Tottenham's abysmal run of defeats, or Jurgen Klopp losing his rag on the rare occasion Liverpool were beaten. Or practically every interview or press conference Jose Mourinho has given after a loss.

In difficult moments most managers go on the defensive and try, through gritted teeth, to insist that they have been unlucky, to blame their plight on injuries or referees' decisions. But not Ruben Amorim.

The Manchester United boss would have had every right to clam up in front of the press after each morale-sapping defeat, and yet he has been at his most open and most engaging following the team's losses. Sunday's press conference after the 3-1 defeat by Brighton was his most honest and brutal appearance in front of the media, when Amorim looked journalists in the eye and told them his side was perhaps the worst Manchester United team in the club's entire history.

It was a journalist's dream and Amorim knew it as he added: "Here you go – your headlines."

Getty'Too honest'

But is it good for the players to be told that they are among the worst teams in United’s 147-year history? What does it do for confidence when you hear your coach say opponents are better than you "in many details"? What does Marcus Rashford think when he hears his manager say "I am not going to put a player I don’t believe is the best for the team"? And what goes through Andre Onana's mind when he hears he is prone to "really ups and really downs"?

"I could not believe what I was hearing. That comment is absolutely crazy," said former West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo Coker on . "I think Amorim is too honest and he needs to be a bit more of a politician. By saying that comment and putting it out into the domain, it puts more pressure on the players. How are they going to face him after he's said all of these things? I hope he has given them a different message in the dressing room."

"I personally wouldn't enjoy being called out like this," added former Everton player Leon Osman on . "It would probably fire me up, which is the intent, but no one wants to be known as the worst team that's ever played for a certain football club."

AdvertisementGOALFollowing Pep's lead

Amorim is not the first manager to use press conferences to send a message to his squad, and his declarations after the Brighton defeat should not be confused with diatribes such as Antonio Conte calling his Tottenham players "selfish" and subsequently getting the sack. Unlike Conte, the Portuguese coach is not trying to get thrown out of the club. He is trying to be as honest as he can with his players to spell out how bad things are and try to get them to improve. It sounded harsh, sure, but few would disagree with the sentiment.

Amorim's comments about United on Sunday were slightly reminiscent of Guardiola’s extraordinary 'Happy Flowers' press conference two years ago. That unforgettable outburst had come after a 4-2 comeback win over Tottenham which had followed defeats at Southampton and United.

The rant clearly had an effect on City's season as they won 15 out of their next 17 league games to storm to the Premier League title, win the FA Cup and above all the Champions League, obliterating RB Leipzig 7-0, Bayern Munich 3-0 and Real Madrid 4-0 along the way to completing the treble.

Getty ImagesConfidence on the floor

Perhaps Amorim's cutting remarks will end up having a similar effect on United in the long run. But so far there does not appear to be much merit in his ruthless approach as the team look completely shorn of confidence.

Antony's open-goal miss against Southampton and Onana's howler against Brighton are the most glaring examples of the lack of self-belief, which is also evident in the team's inability to defend against set-pieces or craft goal-scoring chances. They have a goal difference of minus five and their only shot on target against Brighton was a penalty.

Sunday was not the first time Amorim has aired his low opinion of his players, both in the media and in his selections. He publicly called out Rashford and Garnacho's attitude to training by dropping them for the Manchester derby, hauled Joshua Zirkzee off after 33 minutes against Newcastle, pulled Kobbie Mainoo off at half-time against Southampton and removed Rasmus Hojlund and Manuel Ugarte early in the second half, leaving both players looking absolutely furious.

Getty Images SportWorse than Ten Hag

Zirkzee has seemed to have responded well to his harsh treatment from both Amorim and the Old Trafford crowd, delivering promising substitute appearances at Arsenal and against Southampton while being one of the few players who could have been happy with their displays against Brighton.

Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot are the only players who have performed well on a consistent basis under the coach. And the overall effect, with a couple of notable exceptions, has been declining performances and deteriorating results since Amorim replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag in November.

"They're actually worse now than they were under Ten Hag, because of what this manager wants to do with this system. The way he wants to play, the players just can't do it," said Alan Shearer on podcast.

Amorim is acutely aware that his side are now doing worse than under his predecessor, but has vowed to stick to his plan. "We are getting a new coach who is losing more than the last coach," he said on Sunday. "I have full knowledge of that. I am not going to change, no matter what."