Before the match against Man Utd, coach Dyche clarified his statement about Amorim

(Dan Tri) - Before the first match with Man Utd, Nottingham Forest coach Sean Dyche admitted that his controversial statement about Ruben Amorim was just "clickbait", while affirming his respect for his Portuguese colleague.

Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche has admitted that his comments as a pundit about winning more games than Ruben Amorim if he were in charge of Man Utd were “just clickbait”. The admission comes ahead of the first meeting between the two managers on Saturday, when the Red Devils travel to the City Ground.

Dyche’s controversial comments, made in May, were rekindled in the build-up to the Premier League match of the 10th round, when Dyche claimed he could have won more games for Man Utd by simply using a 4-4-2 formation. Amorim laughed at the remark, and Dyche later explained that the whole story had been distorted.

Sean Dyche becomes Nottignham's third manager of the current season (Photo: Getty).

“I don’t doubt Amorim as a person. I would never do that to any other manager. I get along with most of them off the pitch. Unfortunately, in this day and age, whether you’re a pundit or a manager, the publicity stunt can distort the whole story,” Dyche said at a press conference on October 30.

Dyche also stressed that he is a big believer in managers being given time to prove themselves. “I always say managers need to be given time. I don’t like to see them sacked early – I’ve been there myself. I’ve said half a season is a reasonable amount of time to get them back in the job. Unfortunately, that’s not always enough,” he added.

Asked about Dyche’s comments, Amorim responded: “Maybe it’s true that if we played 4-4-2 we would win more games. But I still believe that my way of playing needs time, and in the future it will be more effective. So, no one can be sure.”

Amorim also expressed sympathy for the role of a pundit: “I can see Dyche as a coach and also as a pundit. If you are a pundit and you don’t have strong opinions, I don’t want to watch you! I understand that it’s a different job. I know Dyche is very intelligent, understands football, and also understands that commentating on a match is different from coaching a team.”

Man Utd are in good form recently (Getty Images).

Finally, Dyche praised Amorim for his flexibility in his coaching philosophy: “They changed their style of play. So, be fair to him, the coaching staff and the players. They adjusted their style of play without losing their belief. There are times when you have to stick to your philosophy, and times when you have to be flexible. Amorim has shown that and still got positive results. Be fair to him.”

Amorim's Man Utd are currently sixth in the Premier League, while Nottingham Forest are in the relegation zone with five points from nine games. Dyche was appointed on October 21, becoming Nottingham's third manager this season, after the club parted ways with Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/truoc-tran-gap-man-utd-hlv-dyche-thanh-minh-phat-ngon-ve-amorim-20251031072422194.htm