In what was seen as a swift move, Manchester United have appointed Sporting Lisbon coach Ruben Amorim as their new head coach.
This came just four days after Erik ten Hag’s departure from Old Trafford after a poor run of results that have started the 2024-25 season.
It has to be said that this is the earliest United have been able to get a permanent replacement after parting with a manager in the middle of the season. They could not find a permanent replacement after Jose Mourinho was axed in the middle of the 2018-19 campaign and took Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the interim which was ultimately made permanent.
It’s done.
Bem-vindo ao Manchester United, Ruben Amorim 🇵🇹🤝🔴#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 1, 2024
They could also not get a replacement when Solskjaer left in the middle of the 2021-22 season and ended up sticking with Ralf Rangnick on the interim again before Ten Hag joined in the summer.
The swiftness of Amorim’s appointment can be credited to the effectiveness of sporting director Dan Ashworth, Chief Executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox, all brought in by minority owner Jim Radcliffe to oversee football operations.
Having been on the job officially for less than six months, the trio have been able to oversee swift transfer buy and sales and now a new coach.
This could be a sign of good things to come at United as such a structure did not exist under the previous arrangement of club management that was handled by investment banker Ed Woodward.
While it can be celebrated that no time was wasted in negotiating for a new manager, Amorim’s appointment, which will take effect after the November international break against newly-promoted Ipswich Town on November 24, has raised some eyebrows about his effectiveness.
Ruben Amorim is no stranger to Old Trafford!
Here is the new @ManUtd head coach walking out with Braga to face the Red Devils in the UEFA Champions League back in 2013 🏟️ pic.twitter.com/aRJY6oW04q
— Premier League (@premierleague) November 1, 2024
He is going to be the seventh Portuguese to coach in the Premier League after Jose Mourinho, Marco Silva, Nuno Espirito Santo, Andre Villas-Boas, Bruno Lage and Carlos Carvalhal.
Of all managers, Mourinho has the best record with 217 wins, 84 draws and 62 losses from 363 games. These came largely from two successful spells at Chelsea while his stint at United was rather mixed.
Amorim will have big shoes to fill in trying to emulate Mourinho whom he interned under when he was in charge at Old Trafford and has referenced getting inspiration from the former Real Madrid tactician’s playing style.
Of all the Portuguese coaches mentioned earlier, only Silva and Espirito Santo are the active managers. They still boast of a decent record for the calibre of clubs they are currently managing (Fulham for Silva and Nottingham Forest for Espirito Santo) and the previous clubs they handled.
Here is how Portuguese managers have fared in the Premier League 🇵🇹
Ruben Amorim has now added his name to the list after joining @ManUtd ✍️ pic.twitter.com/1ZqKpH2KYa
— Premier League (@premierleague) November 1, 2024
This makes Amorim’s job tougher and even tougher is how he contends against the stable forces in the league in Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool. Indeed, the Manchester derby on December 15 will be an interesting matchup while the tie against former title rivals Arsenal on December 4 will be another noteworthy fixture.
Of course, not forgetting the return leg against Northwest rivals Liverpool which United will want revenge from the earlier 3-0 loss at Old Trafford.
There is clearly going to be a lot on Amorim’s plate from the moment he walks into the Portman Road dugout in three weeks time. Ten Hag could have bragged a lot about winning two trophies in his two full seasons in charge but when it came to the one which requires more consistency in the Premier League, they’ve been found wanting.
39 – At 39 years old, Rúben Amorim is Manchester United’s youngest manager since a 33-year-old Wilf McGuinness took charge of them on Boxing Day 1970 against Derby County. Baptism. pic.twitter.com/3SroEmilGu
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 1, 2024
It is not news that Man United struggle for consistency in getting league results with all the different managers that have been in charge since Sir Alex Ferguson retired and that has put the club farther away from the more dominant forces in the league.
United will therefore be in dire need of a change in fortunes having gone 11 years without any league honours but it has to be emphasised that the environment are in the Portuguese league is not the same in England.
While Amorim has a fine record managing in Portugal, winning one title with a modest Braga side to winning four titles for Sporting in the space of four years, including a first league crown in 19 years, the level of competition is much higher, with teams of smaller stature competent at playing good football and hurting the big guns.
77% – Since March 2020 when Rúben Amorim took charge of them, Sporting CP have the highest win percentage of any team across Europe’s top 10 leagues (77% – 120/156). Machine. pic.twitter.com/xngfVwFhnG
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 1, 2024
This makes the work of Amorim much harder and one thing he might not have is time. The United hierarchy might back him with needed support but if it does not result in a better pattern of play on the pitch and consistent results, he might find himself outside the exit door faster than any previous manager.
The onus is therefore on the vibrant and energetic 39-year-old to revive back the glory days when United were one of the most-fearsome teams in the world.
