Manchester United will welcome a boyhood Liverpool supporter to Old Trafford during Thursday’s Europa League meeting between Ruben Amorim and Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen.
And, with Knutsen having admired the new Manchester United boss from afar during his uber-successful stay at Portuguese champions Sporting, there are a couple of reasons why he was not exactly jumping for joy when Ruben Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.
Due to his allegiances with another red-clad north west giant, the living legend of Bodo/Glimt would presumably be happy to see the Red Devils continue to mill around in mediocrity for another decade or so.
There is also the rather unfortunate timing of Bodo/Glimt’s trip to Old Trafford. Ruben Amorim will make his home debut as Man United’s new boss on Thursday night.
And while Sunday’s underwhelming 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town did not really scream ‘new manager bounce’, Knutsen is convinced that a coach of Amorim’s talents will bring about substantial improvements in Manchester United sooner rather than later.
Bodo/Glimt boss a big fan of Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim
“He has a very clear identity with his teams. If you follow the Sporting team over time, you will see it,” Knutsen tells Nettavisen, Amorim winning five trophies in four years at the Estadio Jose Alvalade and leaving the Lisbon giants with a 100 per cent record in Portugal’s top flight.
“He is an up and coming coach. I think they hit really well [hiring Ruben Amorim]. Unfortunately, I think it will be a boost for United!”
Knutsen is, however, hopeful that Bodo/Glimt will take on Man United before Amorim’s ideas really have time to take shape.
Amorim did deploy his favoured 3-4-2-1 formation at Portman Road. But while Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui thrived in their new roles, it will clearly take the likes of Diogo Dalot, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho some time to get up to speed.
“It is favourable that, when we first meet them, it is early in his [Man United] career,” smiles Knutsen, who masterminded a 6-1 obliteration of Jose Mourinho’s Roma a few years back.
“What he gets to do in the time he has been there is minimal. [But] I think he will have a very clear expression on the team where they will get new energy and power.”
Man United’s legends are often hard to please
Ruben Amorim has carried himself with a real confidence since taking over following Ruud van Nistelrooy’s interim spell in the dugout.
However, while the 39-year-old appears keen to embrace the pressure rather than shy away from it, Knutsen feels that the near-constant sniping from United’s eternally hard-to-please club legends – from Gary Neville to a frowny-faced Paul Scholes – will only make the challenge sitting on Amorim’s shoulders that little bit heavier.
“There are one hundred unanswered questions about where the club is and where the culture is. All these old players who jabber around and have opinions. He has a demanding job,” Knutsen adds.
“But it will be a test of how competitive we can be at a good Premier League level.”
After draws with FC Twente, Porto and Galatasaray, an Amad-inspired Man United beat PAOK last time out to finally get their first win of the Europa League campaign on the board.
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