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Ruben Amorim has revived his long-running dispute with Manchester United's celebrated former players, saying they remain rooted in a different era. The Portuguese coach, who has recently taken charge at AC Milan, believes the steady stream of criticism from the media did not reflect the present-day realities surrounding the club.

Struggles in the Old Trafford dugout

Amorim's spell at Manchester United was defined by major difficulties as he tried to bring the club back to its past heights. He oversaw the club's lowest-ever Premier League finish, with United managing only 24 wins in 63 matches in all competitions under him. That disappointing record gave plenty of reason for former club greats such as Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Paul Scholes to criticise, having come from the trophy-filled period of the 1990s and 2000s.

Now trying to rebuild his standing at San Siro, Amorim is dealing with a similar setting, with AC Milan also carrying a storied past and a demanding group of former stars.

Amorim takes aim at United icons

When asked about the pressure of leading a historic club where ex-players regularly offer their views, the new Milan manager could not resist taking a dig at those who criticised him at Old Trafford. He insisted that the current generation of pundits is still out of touch with the modern game.

"I was in a club [Manchester United] in the past with a lot of legends, and they have big opinions, and they talk a lot about things," Amorim said. "They lived in a time that was completely different."

A shadow of former glories

United's most high-profile media figures were central to Sir Alex Ferguson's golden era, a time marked by domestic supremacy and regular Champions League football. But the present situation in Manchester is vastly different, with the club in a 13-year wait for a league title and still struggling to re-establish themselves among Europe's top sides.

Before Amorim was sacked, Scholes had said the coach was not "the right man" and did not "get the club". At that stage, the Portuguese manager had replied by saying the legends were judging the current set-up unfairly.

"I think it's normal," he said before his departure. "I think it's a fact that me, as a manager of Manchester United, I think we are underachieving. We should have more points, especially this season. So I take that naturally.

"Sometimes they don't have all the information and they see Manchester United with the standards that they lived here, always winning. So it's hard for them to see their club in this situation."

A new chapter at AC Milan

Amorim must now turn his full attention to the huge task awaiting him in Italy, putting his Premier League past behind him. Although he has moved away from the constant scrutiny of British pundits, producing results for an equally historic Milan side will be vital if he is to quieten the doubters.