Manchester United have confirmed the appointment of Sporting boss Ruben Amorim as their new permanent manager following the decision to part ways with Erik ten Hag
Manchester United have confirmed the appointment of Sporting boss Ruben Amorim as their new permanent manager following the decision to part ways with Erik ten Hag Manchester United have confirmed the appointment of Sporting boss Ruben Amorim as their new permanent manager following the decision to part ways with Erik ten Hag
With Manchester United announcing the appointment of Ruben Amorim, the big question is how the team could look under the new man in charge at Old Trafford.
United have confirmed the impending arrival of Sporting Lisbon coach Amorim, having identified the 39-year-old as the coach to haul them out of their current crisis and set them on the path back to the top. The club have issued a statement on the appointment, confirming his first day in the job as November 11.
Just like at Sporting, where he has won two league titles, Amorim’s task at United will be to resurrect a fallen giant and a team mired in mediocrity, taking a group of players low on confidence and form, and instilling in them belief and a winning mentality.
So what can United and their fans expect from Amorim when the Portuguese takes over as the sixth permanent manager in the Old Trafford dugout since Sir Alex Ferguson retired back in 2013?
Amorim is wedded to a 3-4-3 formation and it seems inconceivable a move to the Premier League would see him shift from the philosophy and system that has served him so well in his native Portugal.
United are used to a traditional back-four, with two holding midfielders, a No.10 flanked by two wide men and a No.9 spearheading the attack. But when Amorim arrives at United, the players can wave goodbye to 4-2-3-1.
Such an approach requires versatile centre -backs and full-backs who can push forward and operate as wing-backs, using the full width of the pitch to attack opponents and stretch their personnel.
While the switch in formation may be a culture change for United’s players and their fans, Amorim is committed to the club’s rich attacking heritage of playing cavalier football, with a remit to entertain.
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But do United have the personnel to play the Amorim way? Or will he need to shift players out over a period of time and bring in those who are capable of taking his philosophy from the training ground to matches?
In Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui, United have full-backs who are comfortable playing higher up the pitch and attacking from wide positions, although Amorim may look to replace both of them with upgrades.
It remains to be seen which of United’s centre-backs – Matthijs De Ligt, Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro, Jonny Evans and Harry Maguire – can adapt to playing in a back-three, but if they cannot, they will be jettisoned.
Although Amorim’s system is sometimes perceived as negative, with the wing-backs dropping back to form a five-man defence when under pressure, Sporting scored 100-plus goals last season, to underline his commitment to an attacking ethos.
United skipper Bruno Fernandes would occupy the playmaker role, alongside a central midfielder, most likely England starlet Kobbie Mainoo, with a No.9, currently Rasmus Hojlund, flaked by two attackers from four – Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Amad Diallo and Antony.
Aside from his tactical acumen and unswerving conviction in his system and formation, Amorim’s other chief quality is said to be his ability to foster a collective mindset among everybody around him – players and staff.
Those who play for him and work with him testify to his incredible loyalty and belief that success is only achieved by a collective mindset, with no room for dissenters or those who put their own interests above those of the team, as has been the case at United in recent years.
Despite losing key players at Sporting, including United midfielder Manuel Ugarte, Manchester City’s Matheus Nunes, Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha and Tottenham’s Pedro Porro, Amotrm has underlined his formidable managerial ability by rebooting his team and winning consistently, something United crave and why they have set their sights on appointing the Jose Mourinho disciple dubbed the ‘New Special One’.
Man Utd possible XI under Amorim (3-4-3): Onana; Yoro, De Ligt, Martinez; Dalot, Mainoo, Fernandes, Mazraoui; Rashford, Hojlund, Garnacho.
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