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Ruben Amorim's Manchester United press conference: FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED as Portuguese coach fronted the media for the first time as Old Trafford boss Ruben Amorim dazzled in his latest round of press commitments at Man United While he is charismatic, he proved that he is going to be far from a soft touch Will Ruben Amorim be Man United's saviour? LISTEN NOW: It's All Kicking Off! Available wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes every Monday and Thursday By NATHAN SALT Published: 23:00, 22 November 2024 | Updated: 23:00, 22 November 2024 e-mail 2 View comments Ruben Amorim sat down to face the media for the first time since becoming Manchester United head coach. It was a fascinating 45 minutes in his company in which, speaking both English and Portuguese, he addressed topics on his style, why he believes in these players, and whether he has spoken to his idol, and former Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho .
Amorim smiled a lot but also showed there is a steeliness to his character, too. He is preparing to take charge of his first game in his new role on Sunday away to Ipswich Town where fans will watch with interest to see what he has managed to implement on these players in such a short space of time. As well as his briefing with reporters, he also sat down with former Manchester United defender Gary Neville for an extended chat for Sky Sports.
Mail Sport picks out five things we learned from those two media appearances from the charismatic new man in charge...
Ruben Amorim addressed the British media for the first time as Manchester United boss He was charismatic and insightful but also showed a steely side to him as a born winner DON'T BE FOOLED BY THE SMILE Amorim has a signature smile, that's the first thing to note. It is infectious to those who come into contact with him - but you would be wrong to assume his happy-go-lucky appearance at times paints him as a soft touch. Amorim is fiercely competitive and also incredibly clear in his demands.
He said that having been a top-level player previously, he knows 'all of the tricks' and won't be giving players too much leeway to play with him or his coaches when it comes to putting in the hard yards. 'First thing, I think we have to be better athletes. That is something that you can acknowledge when we are here and we see the data,' he told Neville in the Sky Sports chat.
'When I say fitter, it's not being thinner or anything about that. It's the data. You have to understand the data to press high, what is the average metres that you have to run, the sprints.
'You have all this data and you have to cope with that. So you already know your goal is to reach that. You can run a lot but if you don't understand the game, it doesn't matter.
But the first point to press high, you have to be very fit and you have to cope with the demands of pressing high.' So his non-negotiables, we learned what those are, too. 'You can say the pretty things like hard work, be professional.
You should be,' he said. 'This is Manchester United. In every club [you should be] but here, of course, you cannot run from that.
While he has a signature smile, there is also a ruthless drive that will rub off on his players More than 50 reporters were packed into the room at Carrington to hear Amorim speak 'The aim is to think first in the team. So I know that some guys will sometimes play in a different position, but they have to understand the position and they have to fight for the team. As a former player, I know every trick.
' It should be noted, though, that at 39 years old and not too far removed from the dressing room as a player himself, Amorim can connect with many of United's stars like those who have come before him often couldn't. He knows how they think, knows how they operate on good and bad days and there is also that unwavering loyalty to his players. 'I can lose my job before throwing a player under the bus,' he said.
'But if he doesn't put the team in first place, I will be the first one to talk with the player.' To any of the players who were dialled in, consider the lines drawn in the sand. Now it's over to you.
FULL-BACKS, NOT WINGERS, FOR WING-BACK ROLES Ever since Amorim got the job and it became clear he was going to go with 3-4-3 from the off, the identity of who will play in the wing-back roles has been the source of fierce debate. Wingers are synonymous with Manchester United but many of their attackers who play out wide have shown limited capabilities going the other way when asked to defend. He will favour full-backs such as Noussair Mazraoui (left) to play in his wing-back positions He is totally confident in his approach and philosophy but knows some players cannot do it It made Amorim's response to Neville when asked about it particularly interesting as an insight into his thinking after just a few days of training.
He said he will 'likely start with full backs in wing-back roles, because to teach a winger to defend is harder.' It should be noted that in training footage released by United we saw Antony deployed as a right wing-back. Read More Man United boss Ruben Amorim reveals message from Jose Mourinho as he insists job ISN'T impossible But if we take Amorim at his word now, it means that Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Amad Diallo, Mason Mount, Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund are all competing for just three places in the 3-4-3 line up, with Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui set to get the nods out wide.
It was also particularly interesting in his press conference that Amorim has total belief in his system and any players who don't feel the same will soon be cut loose. 'As a coach you have to choose one way or another, I choose always 100 per cent our way,' he said. 'I choose to risk a bit.
I believe so much in our way of playing; they will believe too. There is no second way. 'We will adapt some players because we don't have a different profile.
Maybe on Sunday you will see the starting 11 and not feel a lot of change but you will see it in the game and the positioning or where they receive the ball.' Garnacho the left wing-back? Think again. It raises questions about where Alejandro Garnacho fits in with a system not suited to wingers HE CAN HANDLE THE PRESSURE - AND MANAGEMENT 'Call me naive,' he said with a grin on his face, 'but I truly believe that I'm the right guy in the right moment.
'I could be wrong, but the earth still will turn, the sun will rise again. It doesn't matter. I truly believe that I'm the right guy for this job.
' This wasn't bluster. A man bluffing his way to a headline. Ruben Amorim has total belief that he is the man to finally take Manchester United back to the top.
Now, they all say this during the honeymoon stage, you expect nothing less. And perhaps this is recency bias but observing Amorim it is hard not to be impressed - and ultimately believe him. It is important to note too that he is not scared to tread where perhaps other new managers dare not, particularly when it comes to calling out his superiors.
'Us as a club have to set the standards and have to manage that,' he told Neville when asked about Marcus Rashford and Casemiro jetting off to the United States during the international break. 'It's my decision if they can have five days, or three days, or three days to rest and you cannot fly. This is something that us as a club have to decide.
'Would I set a different structure? Yes, for sure.' Amorim transformed Sporting into the dominant force in Portuguese football and he didn't take them there by worrying about who he may upset along the way. His career to date has built him up for the biggest challenge of them all, now it's on him to show he can handle it and thrive, rather than shrink, in the spotlight.
Amorim thinks he can be first United boss to win the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson Amorim appears intent on learning about the history of the club He must now figure out how to get the best out of the current United squad RUBEN'S CRUCIAL VETO Erik ten Hag used to talk about being 'in the same boat' with Ineos and the football board, particularly when it came to recruitment. We reported recently that funds will be significantly reduced for Amorim as a result of Ten Hag's lavish spend of more than £600million - but we learned that any suggestion he won't be consulted, or allowed a veto, on signings is flat out wrong. 'I think it has to be all together because if you are a coach coming here and already chose the players, you could be wrong because the club will be here for a long time and you as a coach, you don't know that,' he said.
'We have to improve the process of recruitment, the data. I think it is all together, but the final word should be the manager, not because it is your right but because it is your responsibility. 'I have to understand the league and then when everything is aligned, everyone is on the same page, we can buy and sell players.
' Sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox have been key drivers in recruitment since arriving but consider this another line drawn in the sand by Amorim. It is he who will have the final say, that much is for sure. Amorim (pictured far right) will have to work with Man United's INEOS board on recruitment GET YOUR RUNNING SHOES, LADS! Footage from his early training sessions showed him getting his players rushing up and down the pitch to recover possession in the exercise of giving it away.
They do that a lot in games, he conceded, and continuing to do that will see results falter as they have been. So, along with needing to be ‘better athletes’ you can bet your bottom dollar that Amorim and his coaching staff will be relentless when it comes to the fitness levels of this group between now and the end of the season. I hope the players packed their running shoes.
.. Marcus Rashford Ruben Amorim Gary Neville Share or comment on this article: Ruben Amorim's Manchester United press conference: FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED as Portuguese coach fronted the media for the first time as Old Trafford boss e-mail Add comment.
