Ruben Amorim has dubbed himself “the smiling one,” yet insists he has the ruthless edge needed to bring Manchester United back to glory.
The 39-year-old Portuguese manager faces his first test in charge as he leads the struggling English giants to a Premier League clash against newly-promoted Ipswich on Sunday.
Man United are currently languishing in 12th place, 13 points behind rivals Liverpool, who sit at the top of the table. Amorim, formerly at the helm of Sporting Lisbon, steps into the hot seat following the dismissal of Erik ten Hag and sees no reason to alter his outgoing personality, even if it is paired with a steely determination when necessary.
“You can remain yourself,” Amorim said during his pre-match press conference. “There’s a time to be positive and lighthearted, and there’s a time to work hard. I can be ruthless when needed. If everyone is committed to the team, I’ll be the nicest person you’ve ever met. If someone’s only thinking of themselves, I’ll be very different.”
Amorim aims to lead by action rather than authority, explaining: “I’m not the kind of guy who needs to show he’s the boss. They’ll see it in the details—I’ll be the smiling one when I can, but when it’s time to get the job done, they’ll know I mean business.”
Taking over a team mid-season presents unique challenges, and Amorim acknowledges the difficulties of stepping in at such a critical point. “It’s much harder to come in during the season because you have to learn about the players while competing. It’s tough, but we’ll find ways to adapt,” he said.
Amorim becomes United’s second Portuguese manager, following in the footsteps of Jose Mourinho, who famously called himself “the Special One.” However, unlike Mourinho, Amorim stresses the importance of being true to himself rather than imitating past greats like Sir Alex Ferguson, who led United to their last Premier League title in 2013.
“No, I haven’t met Ferguson yet,” Amorim revealed. “It’s impossible to replicate someone like Sir Alex. I have to be myself because it’s a different era.”
One of Amorim’s standout achievements with Sporting was a 4-1 Champions League victory over Manchester City, a club that has dominated English football with four consecutive Premier League titles under Pep Guardiola. Despite City’s recent shock 4-0 home defeat to Tottenham, Amorim remains focused on his own task.
“City’s success is a challenge for everyone, but right now, we have too much to do here at United to worry about anyone else,” he said. “If you can beat a team like that, it’s a good sign, but for now, our priority is Manchester United.”
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