Ruben Amorim will step onto the sidelines as Manchester United’s head coach for the first time this Sunday, with a Premier League clash against Ipswich Town marking the start of his Old Trafford journey.
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Appointed earlier this month, the 39-year-old Portuguese manager is highly regarded for his tactical acumen and transformative work at Sporting CP.
Fans are hopeful Amorim can succeed where Erik ten Hag and several predecessors fell short—restoring Manchester United’s status as a dominant force in English and European football.
As a fellow Portuguese coach and former Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho was quick to reach out to Amorim after his appointment. Amorim shared Mourinho’s words of encouragement during his pre-match press conference.
“He sent me a message,” Amorim revealed. “He said it is a big club with lovely people. It still is. That is correct.”
Despite their shared nationality, Amorim is keen to differentiate himself from Mourinho. “I am different from Mourinho.
I am a different person,” he said. “At that time [Mourinho’s first stint at Chelsea], you looked at him and thought he could win everything. Football is different now, but I believe I am the right guy at the right moment.”
Amorim radiates self-assurance, though he acknowledges the challenges ahead. “Call me naive, but I truly believe I am the right guy in the right moment,” he stated. “I could be wrong, but the world will still turn, the sun will rise again. I don’t worry about that.”
With Manchester United languishing in 13th place in the Premier League, Amorim has quickly identified key areas for improvement.
“We lose the ball too often, so we need to keep the ball better,” he explained. “We also need to be better at running back. It’s clear to everybody, and we must focus on the small details.”
Amorim has signed a contract until 2027, with an option to extend for another year. He believes two years will be sufficient to determine whether the club is heading in the right direction under his leadership.
“Two years is enough to understand if you have found the right manager for this process,” he said.
“We will need more time to reach the level of other clubs winning in this league because they’ve been building for a long time. But in two years, you should be able to see if this path is right.”
As the post-Alex Ferguson era continues to cast a shadow over Old Trafford, Amorim’s appointment has brought renewed optimism.
With his bold philosophy and willingness to tackle the team’s shortcomings head-on, fans are hopeful he can steer Manchester United back to the top of English football.
Sunday’s clash against Ipswich Town will mark the beginning of his journey, and all eyes will be on Amorim to see if he can translate his vision into action on the pitch.