RUBEN AMORIM admits he doesn’t know if he will remain as manager of Manchester United – but says he has no plans to quit.
The under-fire Red Devils boss hinted he was ready to chuck in the towel following Wednesday’s humiliating Carabao Cup loss at League Two Grimsby.
But Amorim claimed his emotions got the better of him after one of the worst results in the club’s history.
He will hold showdown talks with the hierarchy during the international break next week.
Former England manager Gareth Southgate is one of the favourites to replace Amorim if he gets the sack.
Asked if he will be in charge after today’s crunch home clash with Burnley, Amorim said: “I don’t know what’s going to happen, that is my idea.
“I am not going to promise you anything about what is going to be the future.
“I’m the manager of Manchester United and I think that is not going to change.”
After the Burnley clash at Old Trafford, Amorim’s United face a Manchester derby with City at the Etihad on September 14 followed by Chelsea.
At his Carrington press conference yesterday, he conceded there were times he thought about quitting.
Amorim was asked to explain comments he made after his flops crashed out to minnows Grimsby in midweek.
He stated his players had ‘spoken loudly’ about what they wanted to happen.
The Portuguese manager – who was blasted for his use of a tactics board during Man Utd’s defeat to Grimsby – added: “Sometimes I hate my players, sometimes I love my players, sometimes I want to defend my players.
“Sometimes I want to quit, sometimes I want to be here for 20 years.”
But the former Sporting Lisbon boss vowed he will not change his style.
He said: “To be honest with you, every time we have one defeat like that I’m going to be like that, prepare yourselves.”
Amorim, whose side are winless after three games in all competitions this season, said he will hold more talks with director of football Jason Wilcox over the disappointing start to the season.
He added: “I have all these conversations with him.”
And asked who talks him out of it when he considers quitting, he said: “Myself. I just need ten minutes with myself alone. I don’t need anyone.
“When you say I want to quit, it’s that, ‘f***, I want to quit, I don’t love my players, I sometimes hate my kids’. I’m going to be like that, it’s not going to change. I’m going to suffer.
“We just need to win some games and then things will be easier to do.”
Man Utd have agreed a fee of £40m with Chelsea for the sale of Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho, while Rasmus Hojlund is reportedly close to sealing his own exit.
But United have rejected a request from 20-year-old midfielder Kobbie Mainoo to leave the club on loan after he was an unused substitute in their first two Premier League games.
“I want Kobbie to stay,” Amorim said.
“He needs to fight for his place, and we need Kobbie. So that is not going to change. The rest I don’t know how it’s going to finish.
“I understand that the players that are not playing in this moment are disappointed. But everyone will have the same opportunity to play. You have to fight during the week.”
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