Luke Shaw Reflects on Toxic Culture at Man Utd, Backs Amorim’s No-Nonsense Overhaul

England Left-Back Luke Shaw Admits Negative Energy Has Hampered Man Utd Over the Last Few Seasons

In a revealing and emotionally honest reflection, England and Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw has opened up about the deeply ingrained negativity that, for years, quietly undermined the atmosphere at Old Trafford.

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Speaking with a candid clarity that few players offer, Shaw painted a picture of a club where low morale, fractured spirit, and a lack of discipline had seeped into the daily workings of the dressing room.

“It’s not hard to see from the outside what it’s been like,” BBC quoted Shaw, with his words carrying the weight of lived experience. “A lot of the time I’ve been here over the last few years, it’s been extremely negative. It can be quite toxic, the environment... it’s not healthy at all.”

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That “unhealthy” culture came to a dramatic head after United’s Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in May, a result that marked the end of a dismal campaign and cost the team a spot in European competition.

Emotions boiled over, and Shaw’s post-match comments, in which he questioned the squad’s quality, drew pointed reactions, including public criticism from former captain Gary Neville.

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Looking back now, Shaw doesn’t walk back his words, but he does acknowledge the emotional storm swirling within him when he made them. “I wouldn’t say I regret what I said, but straight after the game, your head is hot, you say things and don’t think about it,” he reflected. “I had such an awful year as well. I was just fully angry about everything. That’s why I did the interview and said what I said.”

The aftermath left the team fractured and uncertain. “A lot of people, after that final, and after that year, didn’t know how the next season was going to look,” Shaw said. “We have to be open and honest about that. None of us were good enough.”

Luke Shaw Reflects on Toxic Culture at Man Utd, Backs Amorim’s No-Nonsense Overhaul.

In response, new head coach Ruben Amorim didn’t hesitate to shake the foundations. He immediately pushed for a cultural reset, setting new standards and exiling five players from the core group, among them Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho. Amorim’s no-nonsense approach has earned praise from Shaw, who views the Portuguese boss as the kind of figure the club badly needed.

Alejandro Garnach, amongst others, have been exiled from the Man Utd squad.

“Ruben brings demands. Mentality is a big thing. He talks a lot about it. He demands 100% and doesn’t want anything less. If someone’s doing 85-90%, it’s not enough,” Shaw said. “I think, especially this year, if you’re not doing the right things, you won’t play.”

But Shaw believes change can’t fall on the manager alone. For this overhaul to work, senior players must hold themselves and their teammates accountable, he says. “The more experienced ones need to be demanding more, day in, day out,” he urged. “The levels in training, keeping to the times of when we’re doing this or that, making sure no one’s coming late.”

One thing Amorim has made crystal clear, according to Shaw, is that reputations don’t earn immunity. “The manager’s not bothered. He doesn’t care who the player is. That’s how it should be. Whatever he wants, as players, we have to be delivering – and we are fully behind that.”

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Though Shaw didn't name names or cast blame on individuals, particularly those who had limited involvement in last season's meltdown, he spoke confidently of a rejuvenated squad and a sense of unity that had long been missing. “There are no stragglers in this group any more,” he said during a recent Premier League media event in Chicago. “Everyone needs to put the team first.”

Luke Shaw hopes Amorim and the senior players help turn the tide at Old Trafford.

With a new season looming and expectations as heavy as ever, Shaw’s honesty feels like more than introspection, it’s a call for change, a signal that one of the club’s longest-serving players is ready to help steer the ship back on course.

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And this time, under Amorim’s guidance, there’s a growing belief that Manchester United might finally have the discipline and energy needed to head a different direction.