Manchester United have hired Ruben Amorim as head coach, but must wait a little while before he starts.
Sporting drove a hard deal with Manchester United in negotiations for new head coach Ruben Amorim.
Instead of an immediate start, Amorim must manage Sporting for the next week, before heading to Manchester United on November 11.
Amorim has enjoyed huge success at Sporting, winning two league titles with the club, becoming the first manager to do since 1953.
Sporting cling onto Amorim for extra week
Sporting have been doing their best to string out Amorim’s departure, ensuring they have him for their Champions League game with City this week.
Amorim told Sporting this might not be wise, and could be a distraction for the club, but a decision has been made, rightly or wrongly.
Former Sporting director Andre Geraldes believes it to be the wrong call.
He told O Jogo: “I have serious doubts about Ruben Amorim staying until the international break.
“The players seem to be somewhat apprehensive and nervous about this unexpected change.
“Although the club wants a calm and peaceful transition, especially for someone [João Pereira] who already knows the internal reality, it will never be the same to definitively have a new coach, with defined ideas, than to remain in this limbo of uncertainty and increase the levels of nervousness.
“Above all, it could affect the rapid assimilation of the new coach’s ideas.”
He adds that he feels the drawn out departure for Amorim is just making things more difficult.
“Amorim is well-liked not only internally, but also among fans and players. This impact is naturally already generating instability. We are talking about someone who is a coach who has the “keys to the house” of the club.”
Amorim to United decision backed
Geraldes adds he is supportive of Ruben Amorim’s decision to move to Manchester United, with the new head coach signing a deal until 2027, with a further option.
He explains: “Ruben Amorim’s decision must be respected professionally.
“Opportunities like these don’t come along every day, so the coach who won the championship with Sporting had to be given all the conditions to embrace his dream.”
Geraldes raises a fair point, that Amorim has given Sporting so much, that they could have done better in terms of delivering what he wanted, to avoid this drawn-out exit.
Yet in terms of his United start, it could be a good thing. Amorim will begin at the start of the international break, and have a full two weeks to prepare for his first game in charge.
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