Ten Hag and Amorim blamed for Antony disaster as Man Utd loanee stars again

Tom Weber

Updated: 23 Feb 2025 14:03 CST
4 min read

Antony, Man Utd, Real Betis, 2024/25 — © IMAGO

Antony continued his impressive Real Betis form on Sunday and a former player of the Spanish club believes that the real problem was Manchester United all along.

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The Brazilian left the Red Devils in January after going down in history as one of the Premier League's worst-ever signings. Antony had been brought to Man Utd by his former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag for a whopping €95 million in January.

However, the winger never came close to matching the form he had shown in the Netherlands and his departure became increasingly inevitable after notching just two Premier League goals since April 2023.

He joined Real Betis on a straight loan in the winter and has been nothing short of spectacular for the Seville-based LaLiga outfit. After notching three goals and an assist in his first four games, Antony was again crucial on Sunday as he set up Isco's opening goal in a 2-1 win over Getafe before receiving a controversial red card in injury time.

The tricky attacker appears more suited to Spanish football than its English counterpart, but according to former Betis star Gabino Rodriguez, he actually failed at Man Utd because he was simply mismanaged.

Ten Hag and Amorim to blame?

Speaking to The Sun, Rodriguez claimed that Betis boss Manuel Pellegrini knows how to get the best out of Antony, which is something that Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim never managed at Man Utd.

“It is obviously a bit too soon for a full assessment, but this footballer has class, no doubt about it," Rodriguez began. "Technically he is a very gifted player. The initial impression is he’s landed on his feet at Betis.

"He scored in his first game, I can see hunger in him and the fans are very happy. Personally I have no doubts that Antony will adapt really well to Pellegrini’s system because the manager likes to play attacking football.

“Betis continuously go down the wings and Antony is the type of player who suits this coach well. Under another one, he would struggle in all aspects, and that’s what happened at United. For me, Antony’s problem wasn’t him, but a coaching one.

“Watching how he has developed in the few matches he’s played so far, I think he’s one for a very distinct kind of coach – and the clearest and closest example is Pellegrini.

"There are others who take a more defensive approach and focus more on running and marking or covering. They are the ones who tend to have a more direct style and use long balls. Players like Antony completely disappear in those sort of matches.”

“I’m told Antony has been well-received in the team and didn’t walk in with an air of superiority just because he came from United. He’s been quite the opposite, very humble, with a real eagerness to work. Things like that are highly valued at Betis.

“Antony just needed the type of coach who could spark him – and under Erik ten Hag and now Ruben Amorim, everything surrounding United looked like a funeral.”