Ruben Amorim has made all the right noises since coming to Manchester United and although his mettle on the pitch is yet to be tested, he has already started correcting Erik ten Hag’s mistakes.
If a manager has been sacked, it goes without saying that he did something that failed or didn’t resonate with the people involved with the club.
With Erik ten Hag, it was clear that his tactical setup was being exposed too often, and there was difficulty in communicating effectively with the fans.
However, what became most frustrating towards the end was his way of going into self-defence mode with statements that begged belief.
Be it his go-to statement of winning two trophies or injuries this season or preaching patience since the team was young, there was all talk with no substance.
deliver after two years but the bigger mistake is something else.
It will be clear as the words will speak for themselves in the following three quote
First quote: “We have to improve the young players and they have to improve themselves. Patience, so. We have to find a team that can be successful on a consistent basis.”
Second quote: “We had to sign players, but we made a choice to sign very young players, like last year with Rasmus Hojlund, like this year with Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro. They are players we believe in, at this moment and also for the future, and we have to build them.”
Third quote: “But I don’t want to say that we need time because we are a young team. They are prepared. They are prepared to cope with the demands of playing for Manchester United. They should be because they are here. We know it will take time and we will try to win time with the games. But we have to start since day one without fear, without thinking that they are not used to playing like this.”
The first two are Ten Hag quotes in September and October, while the third one is Ruben Amorim in his first interview as Man Utd manager. The contrast is clear and the point is made.
It is one thing that the players are missing chances, leading to bad results and the pressure increasing on the manager but another entirely to ignore deeper problems.
That is the situation Ten Hag found himself in near the end of his time at the club as the team was undoubtedly much better than it was showing but the manager had a part to play in it.
Through no fault of his own, it was getting increasingly clear that Ten Hag lacked the force of personality to rally the club around him.
At top-level football, tactics play a part in those 10% of games where the manager can make a difference by setting the team up perfectly to win in a one-off game.
Most of the time, the players at their disposal will be much better than the opposition in which case it’s just a matter of keeping them happy and playing at their top level.
That requires man management, charisma, and the force of personality which Amorim looks like he has in the initial interactions.
The real test will begin with the games and the scrutiny at Old Trafford is unlike any other club in England so that’s worth watching but for now, he looks to have the major quality Ten Hag was missing.
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim is a week away from his first game in charge and will already have tactical ideas in mind.
This is usually the case for any international break but especially this time with Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United debut looming.
United announced Amorim’s appointment as head coach on November 1, landing him to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag.
Amorim has now arrived in Manchester after agreeing to stay with Sporting until the international break, meaning his United reign has officially started.
Signings surely won’t be at the forefront of Amorim’s mind right now.
There are many United players Amorim hasn’t even met yet, so getting his tactical ideas over in a short space of time is the focus.
