Manchester United's newly-appointed head coach, Ruben Amorim, has a long road ahead of him. After a tumultuous summer followed by a poor start to the season, the Portuguese tactician is entering an unfavorable environment. But with all his experience and tactical knowledge, he should be able to bring success back to Old Trafford.
Just as Casemiro scored his headed equalizer at the London Stadium against West Ham United, it had seemed like Erik Ten Hag had survived another day. This would last only a few minutes, as Jarrod Bowen's penalty punished the Reds and sent Ten Hag backing. This was technically the game that led to the Dutchman's firing, but a season full of misery and misfortune had ordained it weeks ago.
Manchester United's co-owners, INEOS, got to work quickly. While names such as Brentford's Thomas Frank and Thomas Tuchel (before getting the England job) were considered, technical director Jason Wilcox and fellow higher-ups opted for Amorim to be the new 'head coach' rather than 'manager' in a new direction for the club.
Amorim brings plenty of experience and success. He has won two Liga Portugal titles with Sporting CP and looked well on his way to winning a third. In his first elite managerial job at SC Braga, Amorim brought the club back to the top spots in the league before leaving for Sporting mid-way into the season. It seems to be his speciality—bringing clubs back from the dead.
But beyond his success, Amorim is a figurehead, a leader that an organization can get behind. He has been dubbed as one of, if not the best man managers in football. Galvanizing and uplifting players, Amorim will bring new air to United.
Many point to his rigid 3-4-3 system and chaotic build-up play as reasons for concerns. While those may be of significance, his aforementioned communication style offers confidence that he can find solutions to these issues. One can have all the tactics and nuance in the world, but if you are unable to convince players to play a certain style or to empower them to take risks in the final third, all while demanding hard work, it is all for nothing. Amorim understands this well.
"It was written."
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 5, 2024
Rúben Amorim on a special European night for Sporting, his next challenge in Manchester and Gyökeres' future 👀
🎙 @Becky_Ives_ pic.twitter.com/ymRNAfq0GS
It is what made Sir Alex Ferguson so special and why an iconic player like Cristiano Ronaldo would never dare defy the legendary boss. Being human and understanding that players are also people is an incredibly important quality.
So when I see Sporting players carry their boss in their final home game after just defeating the reigning Premier League champions Manchester City 4-1, it instils confidence that Amorim is the right man to lead United to number 21.