New Red Devils boss Amorim ready for challenge

New Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim says he is under no illusions about the difficulty of the task he faces when he moves to England from Portugal but he is looking forward to the challenge.

The Premier League club announced Amorim’s appointment earlier this month, with the 39-year-old Portuguese set to arrive from Sporting Lisbon on Monday on a contract until June 2027.

Amorim, who replaces sacked Dutchman Erik Ten Hag at United, marked his final game as coach of Sporting with a 4-2 comeback victory at Braga on Sunday.

“I feel ready for the new challenge,” he told reporters after the match. “I’m not naive, I know it’s going to be very different, very difficult. I’m at peace now, I can focus on my new job and I’m looking forward to starting tomorrow.”

Considered one of Europe’s brightest young managers, Amorim’s first match with United is slated for November 24 at promoted Ipswich Town in the Premier League.

United are 13th in the league on 15 points from 11 matches, four points adrift of Chelsea in third. Interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has guided the side to three wins and a draw in all competitions since Ten Hag was fired on October 28.

“I know it will be difficult to reproduce what I have here elsewhere, but there are other places with different exposure and pressure. It’s been a fantastic adventure,” said Amorim, who has won the Primeira Liga twice with Sporting. “I apologise for this midseason decision, but I felt it was my time and my way.”

Meanwhile, Van Nistelrooy lingered on the Old Trafford pitch after Manchester United thrashed Leicester City 3-0 on Sunday in his final game as interim boss as the Dutchman said it was more about celebrating a great moment than a potential goodbye.

“No [it wasn’t goodbye],” Van Nistelrooy said. “I felt like closing this period down and basically it was a moment, here and now, and that was the beauty of the moment in my opinion where, yeah, circumstances came together and it was a beautiful moment and it was gratitude from my side to them, and the reception I received was unbelievable.”

The fans sang his name during the game’s dying minutes and then serenaded him with “Ruuudddd!” when he walked over to the Stretford End after the final whistle to applaud their efforts.

Van Nistelrooy has yet to learn whether he will be part of the restructured staff.

“I can only describe that moment, how I felt it, and as a closure of this block of four games, it felt like a closure for that period, and the future is open, that’s how I felt it,” Van Nistelrooy said. “It was a beautiful moment to share that with the supporters. Yeah, special.”

United captain Bruno Fernandes did not score in his last 17 games under Ten Hag but bagged four in four matches with Van Nistelrooy in charge, including United’s first goal on Sunday.

The manager said much of his role was to stabilise the team and instil some confidence in the brief time he had after such a rocky start to the season.

Reuters