Ruben Amorim can turn Manchester United around, feels former defender Phil Jones

Chennai: For over a decade now, Manchester United have been a shadow of the indomitable force that they were under serial winner Alex Ferguson.

The trophy cabinet has had to be opened only a few times since Ferguson’s departure in 2013 and United have constantly been playing catch-up in England. One player who saw the English Premier League outfit reach multiple troughs during his 12-year stint (2011 to 2023) was defender Phil Jones . The former England international crisply summed up how United’s stocks have fallen drastically over the years, saying that mid-table teams and relegation battlers in the EPL are no longer frightened when making the trip to the iconic Old Trafford .

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“Around 2011, when we were in the tunnel before playing matches against lower-ranked teams, we had won even before we walked out onto the pitch. They (opponents) were petrified playing at Old Trafford, you could see the fear in them. We have sort of lost that and that is where we need to get back to,” said Jones, who was in Chennai for the final of the third edition of Apollo Tyres ‘Road to Old Trafford’, a five-a-side tournament supported by United.



While Jones acknowledged that there is heaps of work to be done for United to get back to the upper echelons, he backed manager Ruben Amorim to guide them to great heights. “Amorim should be given a long run. He has been brought in for the right reasons, to improve United. I love how honest and open he is. You can understand where he is coming from, he is not hiding anything. I really like that side of him,” Jones said of the Portuguese.

“It is going to be difficult for Amorim. He loves to play a different style and brand of football to the formation that we are used to, so we need to prepare to go through (this journey). We have to be patient and believe in what he is building,” added Jones.



The two-time World Cupper is expecting United, stuttering in the league this term, to turn the tide next season. “There is still a great chance to qualify for the Champions League (by winning the Europa League). We could see success this season but hopefully, we see the best of United next season. There are a lot of young players in the team, there are a lot of players who are suffering from lack of confidence. Confidence is a huge thing in any sport. Slowly but surely, Amorim will build leaders who will bring that winning mentality,” Jones said.