RUBEN AMORIM has claimed he could not get Marcus Rashford to buy into his Manchester United plan.
The England forward joined Aston Villa on loan for the rest of the season on Sunday after almost two decades with his boyhood club.
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Amorim has offered no guarantees of a way back for the 27-year-old in the summer.
He said: “I couldn’t get Marcus to see the way you’re supposed to play football and to train — the way I see it.
“Sometimes you have one player who is really good with one coach — and the same player with another coach is different.
“The important thing is that I’m here saying it was my decision. The same with Tyrell Malacia and Antony. It was my decision, to do these loans.
“I just wish the best to Rashford and Unai Emery — and that they can connect because he’s a very good player.”
Rashford still remains on United’s books.
And if Villa do not take up a £40million option to buy him, the pair could yet be forced together again.
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Asked if the door was still open, Amorim added: “Like we said before, we are fighting for our jobs until the summer. So I am just focused on these games.
“Thankfully Marcus is in Birmingham now with Unai, so you can take these questions to another coach. We are just focused on our players.”
The United boss admits he has taken a risk by moving on two forwards in the winter window — while not bringing in any replacements.
He said: “I look at the team and I understood my decision of changing everything in the middle of the season without new signings. It is a danger for a coach.
“But since day one, with good results or bad results, I have a clear idea of what I want to do and I take these risks.
“I’m not naive. This is a sport of results and we’re in a difficult situation.”
Yet Amorim, who goes head to head with Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday, believes he has the backing of owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family.
Amorim has lost seven of his 13 Prem games in charge — and United sit in 13th place, the same position as when the Portuguese boss arrived.
The former Sporting chief said: “I understand with a lot of losses, especially at home, the environment is really hard. But I feel the support of the board.
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“I’m not the slightest bit worried about that. It’s just the pain of losing — that is the hardest thing to cope with.”
Amorim showed Van Nistelrooy the door in November even though the Dutchman’s four games in interim charge brought three wins and a draw.
Old Trafford legend Van Nistelrooy had been assistant to the sacked Erik ten Hag and Amorim is not bothered by comparisons with his record.
The United boss said: “It’s not awkward — I think it’s normal. He knew the team, he worked with the team.
“I made some decisions that are really hard, to sometimes create problems, friction in the team.
“They were better than me in training this team, so I’m trying to help them see the game the way I see, to improve performance and results.”
