Ruben Amorim has been a breath of fresh air at Manchester United not just for his clear playing style and philosophy, but his demeanour off the game and the way he handles the circus that surrounds the club.
That change off the pitch is even more stark considering his predecessor, Erik ten Hag, was not really famous for the way he carried himself and navigated the media landscape.
Ruben Amorim, for his part, has been nothing but respectful of all those who came before him and he has already laid out in clear words that this is a huge job with a lot to do.
However, learning from those who failed before him is different from disrespecting them, and Amorim looks like he’s been doing the former if his latest comments are any indication.
How Ruben Amorim is different from Erik ten Hag
Besides the obvious differences in their playing style, philosophy, and media handling which is plain to see, it is rare that managers acknowledge something like that on their own.
The three points listed in the paragraph above are clear to see but they are mostly said by fans, journalists, or pundits, never by Amorim himself.
Until now.
Amorim spoke to the BBC in an interview and when asked about feeling a connection with the fans already, he went in-depth on how his approach is almost the antithesis of the Man Utd manager before him.
Amorim said: “Yeah, for sure, I feel that [connection with the supporters]. Maybe because I’m a little bit of an emotional person and I can transmit that even in interviews I think. Maybe because I’m different from the last coach, this can bring a different connection.
“People always believe that the next guy is the right guy, that is always the feeling. To maintain that feeling we must play better, win games, and be really honest with the supporters.
“If you are honest and direct with the supporters, maybe you don’t say the popular thing all the time, you create that connection, rather than try to hide the real thing.”
The Amorim-Ten Hag contrast is clear to see
Amorim says he’s different from Ten Hag because he’s more emotional and while that is true, the same can be said in the context of the second part of his statement.
He has been refreshingly honest and direct with the Man Utd fans, even offering tidbits of his tactical thinking and what he wants from his team.
That is in stark contrast to Ten Hag who flip-flopped on his playing philosophy and when asked to expand upon it, always spoke extremely broadly like “pressing high” or “playing from the back”.
Worse still, Ten Hag’s insistence on talking about trophies he won when the team on the pitch was clearly going nowhere infuriated supporters to no end.
In contrast, Amorim, even after a win, has praised his players while laying out where they need to improve and most importantly, how they can do it.
Fans will always have an endless appetite for a peek into the manager’s mind and plan for their club and while it’s understandable that they can’t give away everything, Ten Hag firmly closed the door shut.
Amorim has given enough to appease everyone while still working on the pitch to make his team better.
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