Ruben Amorim’s vision for Manchester United is already becoming evident on the pitch.
In just three games a clear identity and defined playing style is emerging. As he says himself, it’s going to be a long, and at times, painful process as his stars learn on the job.
United’s stars are having a crash course in football the Amorim way and it’s already produced big highs in the form of rapid, out-of-the-blocks goals against Ipswich and Europa League opponents Bodo/Glimt.
But there have been worrying signs that some of the current crop of stars at Old Trafford may not, long-term, be the right fit for Amorim’s grand plan.
Amorim Working Hard Behind the Scenes
The Portuguese coach is already making big changes at Old Trafford
On the pitch there’s no secret what United’s new head coach is trying to achieve – fast, attacking, possession-dominated football.
But behind the scenes Amorim has been just as active.
The former Sporting Lisbon boss is already making big changes to address and change a culture that’s seen the environment at United’s training ground blamed for many of the systemic dressing room failings during the reigns of Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag.
As he highlighted in his programme notes ahead of the Bodo/Glimt Europa League game : “It’s all about the team.”
Those in the know at Sporting say Amorim was approachable, in tune with his players and solely responsible for a family-style set-up where there were no divisions, cliques or dissent.
Everyone was on the same page. And Amorim was The Boss.
Amorim Has Already Instilled Lots of New Rules
United stars clearly believe their futures are up in the air
His non-negotiables centre on attitude, the team ethic and buying-in to a style that’s hard and fast.
Those are markers Amorim considers sacrosanct but have not always been adhered to by the players he’s inherited.
And that’s why he’s instilled some rules to build the kind of environment that will make his vision easier to implement.
All injured players now have to go to games in tracksuits turning up a minimum hour before kick-off.
Amorim insists on being with his players the night before games so they will stay in a hotel home or away.
It’s believed players didn’t get a customary day off leading up to the Bodo/Glimt game with Amorim focusing on team shape and patterns in training.
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Manchester United’s record under Ruben Amorim |
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Games |
3 |
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Wins |
2 |
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Draws |
1 |
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Losses |
0 |
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Goals Scored |
8 |
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Goals Conceded |
3 |
Fitness levels are being closely monitored by Amorim’s conditioning and fitness coaches with the manager keen to make sure his inherited stars can perform the roles they’re given.
Increased sprinting and recovery tests have become part of training as Amorim builds a picture of those players he can rely on in the months ahead.
Insiders at the club’s Carrington training HQ say there is an increased energy and focus about the first team squad with some players clearly believing futures are on the line.
Amorim isn’t for carrying passengers and the 39-year-old Portuguese has told staff he’ll have a full assessment of every player and their value going forward by the end of December.
That’s likely to mean some stars – Antony, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Christian Eriksen and Jonny Evans – may have their fate earmarked by the time the January transfer window opens.
Son Heung-Min is a Viable Target for Man United
The Tottenham star is out of contract next summer
United have been criticised in the past for signing players towards the end of their careers.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was 35 when he signed for United, staying twenty months before leaving for LA Galaxy.
Likewise, Edinson Cavani was 33 when he joined United from PSG having an almost identical length stay before moving on to Valencia.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Son has scored 123 goals in 313 Premier League appearances for Tottenham.
Most famously, United re-hired a 36-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus in 2021 before Erik ten Hag ended his return to the club fifteen months later.
But could United be about to revisit the practice?
There’s plenty of chat around Old Trafford that Tottenham star Son Heung-min is a viable target with the 32-year-old South Korean attacker out of contract next summer.
Son – described as being “world-class” by Ange Postecoglou – would certainly be welcomed by United fans who still regret losing out to Bayern Munich who signed Harry Kane – Son’s partner in crime at Spurs.
