‘Out of touch’ – Antony’s agent hits back at Ruben Amorim in stunning attack on Manchester United boss
Antony’s agent has issued a stinging response to Ruben Amorim after hearing the Manchester United boss’ verdict on his upturn in form. The winger joined LaLiga side Real Betis on a six-month loan in January and has made an immediate impact having scored three goals and chipping in with two assists in seven games. Antony has been a completely different player since landing in SpainAFP The Brazilian has flourished under Manuel Pellegruni after enduring a difficult spell at Old Trafford, arriving in August 2022. His exploits in Spain has caught the attention of many, not least those at Old Trafford who have yet to see the best of the 25-year-old in a red shirt. In a recent interview with TNT Sports, Amorim explained why he felt Antony had shown his true level in Spain and not at Manchester United. “When you play against any team in England, the physicality is there. If you don’t have physicality, you will struggle a lot,” the Portuguese said. “Antony is so much better now in Spain. It’s [because of] a lot of factors but I guarantee you it’s physicality.” The winger’s agent was less than impressed by Amorim’s comments claiming it was an inaccurate portrayal. “We respect the opinion of coach Ruben Amorim, but we completely disagree with his analysis,” Junior Pedroso told Spanish outlet Marca, as quoted by Sport Bible. “To attribute Antony’s lack of success at Manchester United solely to a physical issue is a very superficial argument and out of touch with reality. Antony did not have enough prominence or the confidence needed to show his best football. “Of the 15 games that Amorim managed at Manchester United, Antony only played in nine, with a total of 252 minutes played. This represents only 18.6 per cent of the total possible minutes (1,350 minutes). “How can you judge a player without a minimum sequence that demonstrates his worth? X / @RealBetisAntony is flourishing under the guidance of Manuel Pellegrini[/caption] “This statement, even if unintentional, ends up devaluing LaLiga and the Spanish competitions. Spanish football has one of the most competitive leagues in the world, with top-level teams that constantly compete in the final stages of the Champions League and the Europa League. “The reality is that Antony, since arriving at Betis, has become one of the best players in the team and in the competition itself, demonstrating his full potential when given the right conditions to develop his game.” He continued: “This makes it clear that the problem was not his physicality, but rather the context and the way he was coached in Manchester. “Many players who do not thrive at United find success at other clubs, which leads us to question whether the problem really lies with the players.” Antony netted just 12 goals in two and a half years at Manchester United following his £86million switch from Ajax. He has made 96 appearances for the Red Devils in that time, registering a further five assists. GettyAmorim’s claims were immediately shot down by Antony’s agent[/caption] It remains to be seen what the future holds for the Brazilian with Betis CEO Ramon Alarcon claiming the player has expressed a desire to stay at the club for the long-term. There is no option to buy in the loan arrangement despite Betis covering 84 percent of his salary.
Antony’s agent has issued a stinging response to Ruben Amorim after hearing the Manchester United boss’ verdict on his upturn in form.
The winger joined LaLiga side Real Betis on a six-month loan in January and has made an immediate impact having scored three goals and chipping in with two assists in seven games.
The Brazilian has flourished under Manuel Pellegruni after enduring a difficult spell at Old Trafford, arriving in August 2022.
His exploits in Spain has caught the attention of many, not least those at Old Trafford who have yet to see the best of the 25-year-old in a red shirt.
In a recent interview with TNT Sports, Amorim explained why he felt Antony had shown his true level in Spain and not at Manchester United.
“When you play against any team in England, the physicality is there. If you don’t have physicality, you will struggle a lot,” the Portuguese said.
“Antony is so much better now in Spain. It’s [because of] a lot of factors but I guarantee you it’s physicality.”
The winger’s agent was less than impressed by Amorim’s comments claiming it was an inaccurate portrayal.
“We respect the opinion of coach Ruben Amorim, but we completely disagree with his analysis,” Junior Pedroso told Spanish outlet Marca, as quoted by Sport Bible.
“To attribute Antony’s lack of success at Manchester United solely to a physical issue is a very superficial argument and out of touch with reality. Antony did not have enough prominence or the confidence needed to show his best football.
“Of the 15 games that Amorim managed at Manchester United, Antony only played in nine, with a total of 252 minutes played. This represents only 18.6 per cent of the total possible minutes (1,350 minutes).
“How can you judge a player without a minimum sequence that demonstrates his worth?
“This statement, even if unintentional, ends up devaluing LaLiga and the Spanish competitions. Spanish football has one of the most competitive leagues in the world, with top-level teams that constantly compete in the final stages of the Champions League and the Europa League.
“The reality is that Antony, since arriving at Betis, has become one of the best players in the team and in the competition itself, demonstrating his full potential when given the right conditions to develop his game.”
He continued: “This makes it clear that the problem was not his physicality, but rather the context and the way he was coached in Manchester.
“Many players who do not thrive at United find success at other clubs, which leads us to question whether the problem really lies with the players.”
Antony netted just 12 goals in two and a half years at Manchester United following his £86million switch from Ajax.
He has made 96 appearances for the Red Devils in that time, registering a further five assists.
It remains to be seen what the future holds for the Brazilian with Betis CEO Ramon Alarcon claiming the player has expressed a desire to stay at the club for the long-term.
There is no option to buy in the loan arrangement despite Betis covering 84 percent of his salary.
