Maguire: Amorim deserves ‘credit’ for Utd’s form

Harry Maguire has praised former Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, saying that the Portuguese boss had some “great ideas” and deserves “credit” for the club’s direction since then.

Amorim was sacked by United in early January before Darren Fletcher and then Michael Carrick took charge in interim roles with Carrick overseeing a stark upturn in form as the side make a charge for a Champions League spot this season.

And the defender is full of praise for the work done by Carrick so far, including the “smooth” transition to a back four from a three that had not worked effectively under Amorim.

“I don’t really have much bad to say about Ruben,” Maguire said ahead of Friday’s friendly against Uruguay. “I really like Ruben, I think he’s got great ideas. The ideas just didn’t work at Manchester United.

“I do believe he’ll go on and have an amazing career and his next club he’ll probably go and win many, many football matches.

“It just didn’t click or work and I think us as players have got to take a lot of responsibility for that as well.

“But I think he has led the club in a direction — and I do think he deserves a lot of credit for that — where he’s built a good, solid squad.”

Maguire prefers a back four as it allows him to be a more aggressive, front-footed defender, while the formation switch has seen midfielder Kobbie Mainoo return to the fold.

The 20-year-old had until recently looked more likely to head out on loan in January than be gearing up for a shot at a World Cup spot, but he too has returned to the England set-up after 18 months away.

Maguire said of “magnificent” Mainoo, who is also in talks over new terms: “I’m sure there are areas that he wants to improve and he still can improve, because he’s so young, really, for what he’s been through.

“He’s been through a lot in his short career where he’s probably thinking, ‘I need to get out and go and play some games’.

“To be back in with a chance of being at a World Cup is a great turnaround for him.”

Maguire is also confident of agreeing a new deal with United but the England defender stressed he would not want to stay at the club just for “sentimental” reasons.

The 33-year-old has been an ever-present since Carrick took charge in January, with the centre-back helping the side rise to third in the Premier League and earning an international recall in the process.

Maguire is part of Thomas Tuchel’s final squad before he makes his selection for the World Cup, where his United contract is due to expire midway through the tournament.

“I think there’s been talks [over a new contract],” Maguire said. “I think we’ll reach an agreement where it’s best for the club and myself.

“What that agreement is, I’m sure you’ll find out over the next few weeks. But, yeah, I think it’ll get sorted sooner rather than later, whether I stay or leave. But I think it will — it should — get sorted pretty soon.”

Put to him United appears to be in his heart, he said: “Yeah, I love this club. But it’s got to be right for myself, it’s got to be right for the club as well.

“I don’t want to be staying on a sentimental value. I want to be staying because I want to be there and the club want me to drive the club forward still, and they feel like I’ve got a big part to play in it.

“And if that’s the case, then I’m sure we’ll sit down and reach something.”

Maguire added that he is willing to do whatever it takes to help England win the World Cup, having feared his international career might be over as he waited to find out about March’s make-or-break camp.

England boss Tuchel continued to overlook him during the autumn, but the defender’s fine form for a rejuvenated United side has led to the end of his 18 months in the international wilderness.

“I’ve played 60-odd games for England, been to three major tournaments but when you’re in the moment and you’re playing every game [for England], you don’t want to say you take it for granted but you get comfortable with the set-up,” Maguire said.

“And then when it’s taken away from you all of a sudden, it hurts. You see the team doing so well in qualifying, they’ve done amazing so, yeah, it was an amazing feeling.

“I knew, to be honest, if I wasn’t in this camp, I don’t think I’d have been back in the England set-up with my form and how I’ve been playing, it’s a high level I believe, so it was amazing to get the phone call.”