RUBEN AMORIM’s start to life at Manchester United has been eventful, to say the least.
Officially, the Portuguese boss, 39, will take control of his first training session next week – when his work permit is expected to have arrived.
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The former Sporting Lisbon manager has not been able to work with his players at Carrington yet.
It is understood United do not expect there to be any problems in Amorim obtaining the appropriate paperwork needed to start taking training sessions.
However, even though he’s banned from the training pitch he’s certainly been busy in the interim – plotting moves from his base at the five-star Lowry hotel, where Jose Mourinho made his base during his tenure at OId Trafford.
This included sacking a club legend, meeting fans on a stadium tour, and dining at a famous Manchester hotspot.
SunSport looks at what Amorim has done so far.
Arrives in Manchester
Although he is unable to share his methods with his players, he has made use of his time by familiarising himself with his new surroundings.
Amorim arrived on Monday, via a private jet from Beja international airport that was the most tracked flight in the world on popular flight tracking site Flightradar24.
He soon visited United’s training base and met CEO Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox.
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Given that many of his players are on international duty, those training sessions won’t be missed.
Mason Mount and Leny Yoro, who are stepping up their comebacks from injury, were on hand to meet their new gaffer.
Amorim has already assembled a crack team of six staff members, who will join him on his journey.
Assistants Carlos Fernandes, Adelio Candido, Emanuel Ferro, as well as goalkeeper coach Jorge Vital, sports scientist Paulo Barreira, and analyst will join Eduardo Rosalino.
However, there was one crucial decision that had to make regarding his coaching set-up.
Sacks Van Nistelrooy
Immediately, as he soon as he arrived, a decision was made on Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
The Dutch legend, a hero for many Manchester United fans, was keeping the Red Devils hot seat warm for Amorim, but he was soon dismissed.
He signed off in style – with United winning 3-0 against Leicester City on Sunday.
It capped off a decent run for Van Nistelrooy, who had overseen three wins and a draw as caretaker manager.
Van Nistelrooy was keen to stay on in a coaching role at United, although Amorim saw it differently.
Before he wielded the axe, Amorim told the press about Van Nistelrooy’s future: “About a legend of the club. He did a great job. I have to talk with him tomorrow.
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“Then I will explain everything. I am very clear and I will tell you like it is. Let’s wait until tomorrow.”
Posh nosh
Hale village is a popular spot for Manchester United’s footballers.
Many live close by and frequent the top eateries in the Cheshire area.
One of the most famous is Italian restaurant, Cibo.
Erik ten Hag was often seen dining there with his wife during his time in Manchester.
And it seems that Amorim also got the same tip.
This week, he was seen leaving the posh hotspot with several of his coaching entourage.
With pasta dishes costing around £18, and meat dishes between £18-£37 – it would have been a costly bill.
It has been reported that Amorim is set to make £6.5million-per-year at Old Trafford in a deal that runs until 2027.
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Stadium tour
After visiting the training ground and meeting senior staff at the club, Amorim then paid a visit to Old Trafford, itself.
He was shown the media room by club staff – joking that it seemed familiar.
“This is funny. I’ve watched this room many times,” he said.
And in an incredible gesture, he popped in to see the public tour of the historic stadium.
The club shared a video in which Amorim joined fans in the dressing room and made sure to give each of them a handshake.
He said a couple of words to the fans in which he joked one would be playing and one would be on the bench.
Fans hailed the moment on social media, which reminded some of when Jurgen Klopp arrived at Anfield.
One posted: “Already more handshakes and hugs than Klopp during his first week in club. We are so clear!”
A second commented: “Could be their Klopp if they get their s**t together to be honest.”
A third wrote: “What a guy.”
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His first injury blow
But, it hasn’t been all plain-sailing.
When Erik Ten Hag was boss, he fell foul to a dreaded injury curse.
And Amorim will be hoping that he will be luckier with the squad he has inherited.
However, he was dealt with a huge blow regarding Lisandro Martinez’s fitness.
The Argentinian defender had linked up with the international squad for their matches against Paraguay and Peru.
But the defender was sent straight back to Manchester after national team medics discovered a “significant hip injury”.
It is believed he picked up the issue in the 3-0 win over Leicester on Sunday but flew to join the Argentina squad before it was evaluated.
Ruben Amorim is ‘Mourinho 2.0’ who turned Sporting from ‘walking dead’ into Portuguese champs… he can revive Man Utd
WHEN Ruben Amorim took charge of Sporting Lisbon in March 2020, one club official compared their situation to the “walking dead”, writes Jordan Davies.
Optimism and hope was at an all-time low.
But the Amorim-effect was almost instantaneous, guiding the Portuguese sleeping giants to their first league title for 19 years in 2020/21, losing just once and only conceding 20 goals.
Since then, Sporting have lifted another league title in 2023/24 – as well as two League Cups – and currently sit top with nine wins from nine this term.
He may be young, but Amorim already has an eye for rebuilding and revitalising fallen super powers with his infectious charisma and intense tactical philosophy that hardly ever wavers.
The “walking dead” at Manchester United must be praying for a similar sort of revival.
And they may just get it from one of the most talented young coaches on the continent – a man accustomed to breathing new life back into crumbling institutions such as Old Trafford.
Amorim has spent the last decade dreaming of one day gracing England’s Premier League, such was his admiration for an ex-United boss in Jose Mourinho growing up.
Often nicknamed ‘Mourinho 2.0’, Amorim spent a week with his coaching idol in an internship capacity at United’s Carrington training base in 2018, going on to cite him as his “reference point”.
United should not be expecting a mini-Mourinho, as Amorim said himself: “Mourinho is one of a kind. There won’t be another Mourinho. Mourinho is unique.”
And yet, you cannot help but compare the two.
For all the mismanagement in the Old Trafford hot seats over the years, this would be a real get – finally a slap in the face United’s Prem rivals have no answer for.
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Reports in Argentina claim he felt “discomfort” after a coming together with an opponent.
Despite completing 90 minutes, the pain has left him unable to “function normally”.
Message to fans
Amorim gave in his first interview as Manchester United boss on Friday evening.
And he spoke of the ‘connection’ he already feels to the club and his determination to ‘do something special in a special club’.
He said : “A lot of people talk about the 3-4-3, 4-3-3 and all that stuff. But when I think as a player or as a team-mate at United, it is not a system of formation.
“It’s the character of the players, the way they see the club. So we have to focus on that before everything about how we play, how we press.
“The most important thing for me at this moment is to create the principles, the identity and the character that we had in the past.
“It’s about the team, that’s the most important thing for me, because if you work as a team, then the talent individually is going to shine.
“But if I had to explain the important thing, it is the character, the way we fight, the way we play – we must have an identity.
Life as a Manchester United manager has begun for Ruben Amorim.
