Ruben Amorim, the Portuguese coach known for his two-time title win at Sporting CP, is poised to take over at Manchester United. While Paul Merson of Sky Sports acknowledges Amorim’s impressive track record, he emphasizes the gargantuan task ahead. “He’s done amazing at Sporting,” Merson said. “This is going to be different. No disrespect. They play against Porto and Benfica and that’s it. He’s coming in to manage one of the biggest clubs in the world.”
The pressure cooker at Old Trafford is a far cry from the Portuguese league, and Merson draws a stark comparison with Erik ten Hag’s struggles. “We’ve seen it with Ten Hag: brilliant at Ajax, come to Man Utd, win one, draw one, lose one and you’re under pressure. There’s a lot of work to be done. This is five steps up.”
Merson highlights the immense gap between Manchester United’s current performance and the club’s legendary status. “We’ve seen with all these managers, you’re under severe pressure every game. As a football team they’re nowhere near those heights. One of the biggest football clubs in the world with a just-above-average football team. I can’t emphasise enough how far they are behind the big boys at the moment.”
With United currently seven points adrift of the top four, Merson believes Champions League qualification is a long shot, even with a new manager at the helm. “I’d be surprised if they went top four. You could put Pep Guardiola in charge of Man Utd and he couldn’t turn it around that much. It’s going to take time.”
Merson advocates for a patient approach, emphasizing that rebuilding a club of United’s stature requires a multi-year strategy. “They have to build and build whereby in three to four years time United are back where they should be, fighting for Premier League titles. They have to be patient, bring players in steadily.”
The Sky Sports pundit believes Amorim’s immediate focus should be on instilling a clear identity within the squad, something that was lacking under ten Hag. “Getting the players to understand the way they want to play.” Merson explains, “I watch Man Utd play and there hasn’t been identity there for a long time now. He has to come in, get his ideas across and start playing as a team. They don’t press together. He has to get everybody understanding the way he wants to play.”
Merson underscores the need for Amorim to navigate the transfer market wisely. “Ten Hag got the transfer market horribly wrong. I’m trying to think who he brought in who was a major success. They bought Antony for £80m… That’s a sacking in itself!”
Looking ahead, Merson suggests Amorim’s favored 3-4-3 formation will necessitate strategic recruitment. “They will need pace at the back. They will push their wing backs on to help the two in midfield. That’s where they’ll probably have to recruit: pace at the back. And they need a goalscorer. The two lads up front haven’t done it. Rasmus Hojlund is a young lad and Joshua Zirkzee hasn’t been given much time yet but they need a goalscorer.”
The task ahead for Ruben Amorim is daunting but not insurmountable. The path to success at Manchester United is paved with patience, strategic acquisitions, and a clear vision for the future. Only time will tell if he can restore the Red Devils to their former glory.
