As Ruben Amorim stepped onto the hallowed Old Trafford turf, the new Manchester United boss was struck immediately by a sense of history.
The weight of expectation. A swell of pride, as he prepares to follow in the footsteps of some of football’s great visionaries.
But, rather than shy away from the pressure associated with life as Manchester United manager, Ruben Amorim sounds like a man ready to embrace it.
Ready to face the challenge head on. Amorim knows that success is a must at Man United, with everything else a bonus.
He knows that, when Bodo/Glimt arrive at Old Trafford on November 28th, he will be greeted by over 70,000 supporters praying that Ineos’ chosen one can be the successor to Sir Alex Ferguson that Europe’s great underachievers have craved for so long.
Ruben Amorim blown away by Old Trafford as he arrives at Manchester United
“You watch on TV and you know that [Old Trafford] is big and it’s impressive,” Amorim says during his first official interview with Man United’s in-house media channel, staring out over this cavernous old anrea.
“[But] when you are here, you can feel it. And I think you feel the history. I’m really, really proud to be Man United coach, so it’s amazing.
“It’s a real honour to be here.”
As Ruben Amorim embraces his United players like an older brother, joking along with those supporters lucky enough to have scheduled their stadium tour at the time of his arrival, and strolling around with a smile as wide as the M52, Erik ten Hag’s replacement has carried himself with a quiet, self-assured authority during his first few days in Manchester.
“I feel very relaxed. Maybe because it’s not gameday!,” Amorim chuckles, speaking with the confidence of a man who feels he belongs on such a stage. “When we have a game, I’m a different guy, but I really don’t feel the weight. I’m really excited and I’m quite relaxed, you know.
“I’m really excited and I’m quite relaxed. I feel I’m where I’m supposed be. That’s the feeling.”
Nemanja Vidic expectant as Ruben Amorim era begins
The Ruben Amorim era will officially begin when Man United travel to Ipswich Town at Portman Road after the November international break. Amorims first outing will see him go head-to-head with a coach who held talks with the Old Trafford top brass over the summer.
Man United considered the ‘genius’ that is Kieran McKenna before opting to keep the faith with Ten Hag. A decision which backfired pretty spectacularly during a miserable start to 2024/25, though Amorim’s arrival a few months later is proof of Ineos’ willingness to accept when a mistake has been made and correct it early doors.
“I don’t know much about him. [But] obviously, I know he was very successful at Sporting Lisbon,” United legend Nemanja Vidic tells Sky Sports of a man who has secured six trophies in just five years in management.
“He seems like a very positive guy and I think he has a winning mentality.
“He played at a top level. He was a decent player. He has a good background. But, for me, what managers and coaches need in the modern game is, first of all, good recruitment, and an ability to deal with the players, media, and even with the people in the club.”
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