Nicky Butt has insisted that Ruben Amorim is already showing an all-important quality at Old Trafford that one ex-Manchester United manager failed to deliver on.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim left Sporting CP in November and succeeded Erik ten Hag in the Old Trafford dugout.
Erik ten Hag was sacked as United manager in late October after the Red Devils’ disappointing start to the 2024-25 Premier League campaign.
Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was assistant manager to Ten Hag, oversaw a four-match interim managerial spell at Old Trafford after the former Ajax boss was dismissed.
Amorim signed a deal with United until June 2027 and the former Sporting CP boss arrived at Old Trafford at the start of the November international break.
The 39-year-old Portuguese manager suffered his first defeat as United head coach on Wednesday evening after a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League.
Amorim has won two of his first four matches at United, with the Red Devils thumping Everton 4-0 and beating Bodo/Glimt 3-2 in the Europa League.
The United head coach’s reign at Old Trafford began after the November break with a 1-1 Premier League draw against Ipswich Town at Portman Road.
Butt on Amorim vs Ten Hag at Man Utd
Speaking on talkSPORT, Nicky Butt claimed that former Manchester United managers Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho were both “big characters.”
However, the United legend did not share the same sentiments for Erik ten Hag, who lacked the “big” personality needed to be United manager.
Butt argued that Ten Hag didn’t come across as well on TV or in interviews and suggested Amorim has the personality needed to “carry the club on his shoulders.”
“I think what you’ve got to have at that football club is character,” he said.
“If you look at all the managers that come after Sir Alex [Ferguson], whether they’ve failed or not, they’re all people that can carry the club on their shoulders.
“[Louis] van Gaal, [Jose] Mourinho, they’re big personalities, big characters.
“Unfortunately for me, I didn’t think Ten Hag had that character. I thought he was not good in interviews, he wasn’t great on TV, he seemed like he knew what he was doing on a coaching pitch but he didn’t transfer [that] onto a game.
“And I think this guy now, Amorim, one thing I think he’s got is character.
“Time will tell if he’s got what he needs to get Man United back up to the levels [they want] with the investment that’s going to have to go into the squad.
“But he’s certainly got it. He’s got character, he’s got charisma and he looks like he can carry the club on his shoulders – and that’s the biggest thing at Man United. I don’t care what anybody says.
“Don’t forget these coaches, these managers go and get coaches as well so the ones underneath them have to be top coaches as well to coach the players. And he has his own people that he brought in.”
Butt on Van Nistelrooy’s Man Utd exit
Ruud van Nistelrooy oversaw three wins and one draw as United interim manager before the Dutchman made his exit from Old Trafford in November.
Amorim opted not to retain the 48-year-old Dutchman’s services for his coaching staff and Van Nistelrooy has since become Leicester City manager.
Butt believes that Amorim made the “right” call to axe Van Nistelrooy and bring in his own coaching staff to Old Trafford.
“I think it was the right thing to do to get rid of [Ruud van Nistelrooy] at the time as well because he’s [going to bring] his own players in, he’s going to have no excuses, he’s going to have no one looking over his shoulder, that’s not his person,” he added.
“He’s got his own guys there and if he does it right, I think he’ll do well.”
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