Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel is under no illusions about the size of the task Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim looks set to inherit at the Premier League giants.
Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at West Ham – the result which proved to be the final straw for Erik ten Hag – left Manchester United lumbering along 14th in the table.
In the Europa League, following a winless start to the competition, the Red Devils are even worse off. 21st, sandwiched between Viktoria Plzen and Elfsborg.
So there is an argument to be made that Ruben Amorim – the Sporting Lisbon boss has verbally agreed to take the Man United reigns – should not be too hard pressed bringing about an immediate uptick in both performances and results.
This is, after all, a United squad with far more quality than in previous years.
If Amorim can get more out of Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Rasmus Hojlund and co than Ten Hag did – not to mention his former Sporting stalwart Manuel Ugarte – then it is not out of the realms of possibility that United could fly up the table both at home and abroad.
Peter Schmeichel backs Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United
“Ruben Amorim is a great candidate. I’m convinced about that,” Schmeichel, a treble winner under Sir Alex Ferguson in 1999 tells BBC Sport. “I’m also convinced he could replace Pep Guardiola [at Manchester City.”
Schmeichel feels that Ten Hag was exposed by the lack of a structure at Man United. Now, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe bringing in Dan Ashworth, Jason Wilcox, Christopher Vivell and Omar Berrada as part of a dramatic overhaul and modernisation of the Red Devils’ behind-the-scenes staff, Amorim should enjoy the sort of support his predecessor could only dream of in the Richard Arnold and John Murtough era.
“When you talk about the structure of the football club, there are people now responsible for recruitment, scouting. That is not the manager,” Schmeichel adds.
“We’ve tried the big managers, the big names and it hasn’t worked out. I don’t mind if we appoint the next one who is just a coach, takes care of the team, has an input but looks at the solution. It is the modern way.
“So why not consider it?
“I think it’s an attractive job. The playing staff isn’t terrible. There just isn’t a [playing style] that can be leaned upon. Are we pressing? Are we keeping the ball? Someone who spends all their time on the training pitch, I think that is a good idea.
“The structure [with Ashworth, Berrada and co] fits someone like Ruben Amorim or Thomas Frank who can work in this structure. We’ve not tried this yet, it could be the time to try a coach.”
Mikael Silvestre highlights challenge facing Amorim at Old Trafford
While Paul Scholes spoke about Man United needing a Thomas Tuchel or a Zinedine Zidane type figure in the dugout, Schmeichel feels that Ineos have put the building blocks in place for a pure tactician to slot in as the final piece of Ineos’ jigsaw.
The great Dane argues that Roberto de Zerbi – now at Marseille after leaving Brighton and Hove Albion over the summer – ‘would have worked’.
mAmorim, meanwhile, is another cut from similar cloth. An ambitious, forward-thinking tactician who embodies a free-scoring, possession-based style while leaning heavily on youth.
“We have to give people time and, hopefully, he can do it,” Mikael Silvestre, a four-time Premier League champion in the 2000s, tells Sky Sports. “Definitely, [Amorim’s] record speaks for him.
“He has had very good results in Portugal. But the Premier League is different and it is much more difficult. Lets wait and see.
“The Premier League is, for me, the most competitive and challenging league in the world. You can lose against bottom of the league teams.
“And, obviously, Manchester United is a big, big club. As soon as you take the job, you have to get the results, no matter what.”
Silvestre believes that securing a Champions League spot remains a ‘realistic objective’ for Amorim this season. Despite a dismal start, United remain only six points adrift of Chelsea in fifth.
They can half that deficit with a victory over Enzo Maresca’s side this weekend, too.
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