Ten Hag out, Amorim in … in just five days

It didn’t take Manchester United’s board and owners long to find a replacement for Erik ten Hag. While lots of names entered the frame, one name soon emerged as the overwhelming favorite.

beginning of the Ruben Amorim era

In the end, there were just five days between United’s official website announcing the end of ten Hag’s reign and the beginning of the Ruben Amorim era. The current coach of Sporting Lisbon formally takes up his Old Trafford post next Monday, November 11.

United’s odd of lifting a trophy drop!

His appointment immediately saw United’s odds of winning the two English domestic trophies drop. From +1600 to win the FA Cup, they are now +1400, and to win the Carabao (League) Cup their odds dropped to +600 from +800.

But who is Ruben Amorim, and what qualifies him to take on one of the most difficult coaching roles on the planet?

Well, to begin with, it’s important to note that while the 39-year-old isn’t currently regarded as a “big” name, he has, over the last year-and-a-half, become one of the most sought-after coaches in Europe.

In that period, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Barcelona, and Juventus have all been manager-less and were all heavily linked with Amorim. He was even talked about as the possible successor to Pep Guardiola when he eventually decides to call time on his tenure at Manchester City – a move that now looks extremely unlikely.

His stock is now so high because of a hugely successful four-year spell at Sporting, where he managed to break the dominance of the country’s big two – Benfica and Porto. In doing so, he ended Sporting’s run of 19 trophy-less seasons with a thrilling Portuguese Primeira Liga and League Cup double in 2020-21.

A cultured midfielder by trade

But, before Amorim scaled those heady heights and earned himself a shot at being the manager of one of the world’s biggest clubs, he had already enjoyed a successful 14-year career as a player, during which he won 14 international caps.

Amorim, born in Lisbon, made his first-team playing debut in 2003 for Belenenses, one of Lisbon’s smaller clubs. A midfielder by trade, Amorim made a name for himself with his quality passing and silky movement, and in the summer of 2008, he earned himself a big move – to Portuguese giants Benfica.

fractious relationship with Benfica’s long-term coach Jorge Jesus

It was at the Estadio da Luz where he spent the prime years of his playing career and made 154 appearances over six seasons. During that time, he endured a fractious relationship with Benfica’s long-term coach Jorge Jesus, who occasionally used Amorim as an emergency right-back – one of many things that the pair clashed over.

During the early part of the 2012-13 season, Amorim openly criticized Jesus’ team selection and, on one occasion, ended up refusing to train with the reserves. As a result, he was sent out on loan to Benfica’s big rivals, Braga. He ended up spending 18 months there – from January 2012 through to the end of the 2012-13 season. While at Braga he scored five goals and played 46 games.

Successful return to Benfica

His surprise return to Benfica for the 2013-14 season ended up being his most successful as a player, winning the Portuguese domestic treble: the Primeira Liga, the Taça de Portugal, and the Taça da Liga (League Cup).

Unfortunately, at the start of the next season, while playing for Benfica at Boavista, he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament, an injury that was effectively career-ending.

Although he attempted to resurrect his career by moving on loan to Al-Wakrah in Qatar, he never fully recovered from the injury and was forced to retire prematurely in 2017 at the age of 32.

During his playing days, he made his international debut at the 2010 World Cup and also appeared at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but didn’t register a goal in those 14 appearances.

Once his playing career was over, he immediately focused his attention on completing his full coaching qualifications. However, before they were complete, he landed his first managerial post with third division Casa Pia.

Early coaching controversy

This caused some controversy at the time as it was a requirement in Portuguese soccer to have completed all the badges before delivering instructions during a game. As a result, he was given a one-year suspended ban.

But, with no further indiscretions, he was able to complete all of his coaching badges and in September 2019, he returned to Braga in the role of reserve team manager. He was successful from the word go and in the December of that same year was promoted to the role of first-team coach.

By then Amorim was a coach in a hurry.

In his first few months as head coach, he steered the team to success in the Tace da Liga (the Portuguese League Cup) and, even before the end of that season, he was approached by Sporting Lisbon to become their new head coach.

Too good to refuse

It was an offer that was too good to turn down and just 72 days after being appointed as Braga’s head coach, Amorim was heading to Sporting Lisbon.

It cost the Lisbon club almost $11 million to release him from his Braga contract, but it was a calculated gamble that paid off enormously.

won an astonishing 29 games out of 34

In his four-and-a-half seasons at Sporting, Amorim has won the Primeira Liga twice and the Taca da Liga twice. Last season, on their way to winning his second league title, his team won an astonishing 29 games out of 34 and finished a comfortable 10 points ahead of second-place Benfica.

It was a record that was achieved in some style and is why he hit the radar of all the big soccer clubs in Europe.

Another quality that the decision-makers at Manchester United saw in Amorim is that he is a fluent English speaker, having completed a chunk of his UEFA coaching badges while studying in Belfast.

While he is known for his no-nonsense demeanor and strong personality, he is also considered by those who know him to be a laid-back and warm individual.

United heading for a 3-4-3?

Amorim’s tactical soccer knowledge is regarded as up there with the best on the continent, where he usually sets his teams up in a 3-4-3 high-intensity formation – a significant change for United who, for many years, has operated with a flat back-four.   

But, arguably, what sets him apart from all the other highly-rated coaches in Europe is his ability to get the very best out of players; turning average players into good players, and good players into great players.

A perfect example of this is Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres, who he signed for Sporting from Coventry City of the English Championship for a relatively modest $22m. In Lisbon, the Swede has scored almost a goal per game and is now being tipped for a move to one of the continent’s biggest clubs for well over $100m either in January or next summer.

And there are plenty of other examples of players who have flourished under Amorim’s tutelage and have gone on to early big-money moves – among them Fulham midfielder, Joao Palhinha, Manchester City’s Matheus Nunes, and Tottenham’s Pedro Porro.

Re-united with Ugarte

Interestingly, another to add to that list is Uruguayan international defender Manuel Ugarte, who Amorim had at Sporting before selling him to PSG for $78 million. Well, this summer Manchester United signed the player who will now be reunited with the manager under whom he made his name.

The biggest surprise, perhaps, is how Sporting had been able to hold onto Amorim for so long given his ever-expanding list of trophies. As mentioned at the start of this piece, there were several top jobs vacant at the end of last season, so why did none of those teams take a punt on Amorim?

With Jurgen Klopp opting to leave Liverpool, Xavi’s decision to quit Barcelona, Thomas Tuchel and Bayern Munich opting to go their separate ways, and Juventus sacking Max Allegri, it felt inevitable he would choose one of those as the next stop on his managerial career.

Amorim once rumored to be City target

As it transpired, Liverpool opted to go Dutch with Arne Slot while Barcelona chose the more experienced Hansi Flick to be their head coach. Bayern Munich, out of the blue, opted for Vincent Kompany ahead of Amorim, and Juventus went with their former defender, Thiago Motta.

Ultimately, it felt that none of those clubs were prepared to gamble on someone who had only coached in his native Portugal and had no experience in other European leagues. It may be a view they live to regret.

It also was reported that Amorim flew to London to have talks with West Ham, something he apologized to Sporting fans for, saying that he had made a “mistake.” In the end, the Hammer appointed Julen Lopetegui to replace David Moyes.

Hugo Viana, will be replacing City’s current sporting director, Txiki Begiristain

But the strongest link, also as mentioned at the start of the piece, came from the blue half of Manchester. It has already been announced that at the end of this season, Sporting Lisbon’s current director of football, Hugo Viana, will be replacing City’s current sporting director, Txiki Begiristain.

Many had already started to put two and two together, especially when it was rumored Guardiola may decide to call it a day at the Etihad at the end of this season. There is now, however, a growing belief among Man City decisionmakers that Guardiola is looking to extend his stay there by at least another season.

Ashworth and Berrada get their man

That may well have fed into Amorim’s thinking when he finally said yes to United. In the end, the Red Devils, led by sporting director Dan Ashworth and chief executive Omar Berrada, got their man.

They now have to do all they can to back him. For a club as massive as United, the only measure of success is trophies and, in truth, there are only two trophies that count to them: the English Premier League (EPL) trophy and the UEFA Champions League trophy.

As things stand, this current United squad is a million miles away from being good enough to compete for either. It’s been 11 years since their last EPL title, which came under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson, and Amorim, Ashworth, and Berrada have much work to do before they can again be considered realistic contenders.

Problems aplenty at United

The problems at United don’t begin and end with the playing squad and, as acknowledged by Ashworth and Berrada, several infrastructural and cultural issues have to be addressed before a sustained EPL title bid can even be considered.

Years of underinvestment in the club’s bricks and mortar also needs rectifying – Old Trafford infamously has a leaking roof when it rains – and work is still ongoing at Carrington, United’s training ground, to bring it in line with the elite facilities of their rivals.   

So, the task awaiting Amorim is not to be underestimated and it is worth noting he is the sixth head coach to try his luck at United since the departure of Ferguson. None of the other five have been regarded as a success.

A sleeping giant United may be, and some argue it’s the biggest soccer club in the world, but to return it to its former glory is going to take something special.

Good luck Senhor Amorim. You may need it.

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