It is perhaps no surprise that Ruben Amorim is taking a special interest in Kobbie Mainoo after taking over at Premier League giants Manchester United.
The former Portugal international might never have reached the very pinnacle of European football – forever in the B-list rather than among the A-listers like Xavi, Luka Modric or Paul Scholes – but the way Ruben Amorim went about his business on the pitch maybe means he sees a bit of himself in young Kobbie Mainoo.
A string-pulling playmaker in his playing days, Amorim has been spotted in one-on-one discussions with Mainoo on the training pitch over the last few days.
And when you consider how impressive the Carrington graduate was in extremely difficult circumstances under Erik ten Hag – a ramshackle set-up serving only to expose the weaknesses of Manchester United’s midfielders – imagine what Kobbie Mainoo could become in amore coherent tactical system, and with a coach as obsessive as Ruben Amorim providing advice from the sidelines.
Ruben Amorim takes an interest in Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo at Manchester United
According to Sky Sports, Mainoo is not the only Man United youngster receiving personal tutelage from the former Sporting boss. Ruben Amorim has taken a liking to Amad Diallo too. The in-form Ivorian is a candidate to start in the right-sided wing-back role – a la Geovany Quenda at Sporting – or as one of two number tens behind the centre-forward.
Sky claim that Amorim, during those one-on-one talks with Mainoo and Amad, has made it his mission to improve their body positioning in order to create better angles to both provide and receive passes.
Amorim is also looking to improve ‘the timing of their movement and passing’.
Man United, meanwhile, will kick off under their new permanent head coach for the first time away at Ipswich Town on Sunday afternoon.
The 39-year-old has promised that the Red Devils supporters will see a United side with his fingertips on it right from day one, Sky adding that Ruben Amorim is desperate to improve his side’s mental and physical qualities.
Amorim has placed an emphasis on ‘intensity’, too, both with regards to Man United’s style of play and in the transfer market.
Ruben Amorim promises an ‘identity’ ahead of Ipswich Town clash
“The first thing is that I’m really honoured to be here,” Amorim said during his introductory interview last week. “It was my only choice because I think I really feel how big this club is. And then I will do everything for the team.
“I will defend my players if I have to, all the time, against everybody. That is a key point for me, and I will try to do everything to put this club in the place that it belongs. And I believe a lot that we are going to succeed.
“Manchester United is the biggest club in England. So this is part of the history, it is not now. So we have to address that, to show that and to try to win again.
“We know that we need time, but we have to win time. To win time is to win games. But the most important thing for me is identity. So, since day one, we will start with our identity.
“Of course we are going to prepare the games, but we will focus a lot in our game model. How to play, how to press, these small things, small details. You cannot go 100 per cent on every detail because it will be confusing for the players.
“So if I have to say one thing, my main goal, my first goal, is identity.”
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