Ruben Amorim outlines Man Utd vision with “changes” to come and PRAISE for Erik ten Hag

Ruben Amorim oozed confidence and self-belief from the moment he entered the room for his first news conference as Manchester United’s new manager.

A flash of that beaming smile, a cordial “Hi guys,” and then he got right down to business, describing his idea for resurrecting English football’s fallen titans. There were no wild claims about regaining the title, simply a calm and measured explanation of what he needs do to restore United’s status as a significant power both at home and abroad.

Amorim, 39, is United’s sixth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 with the club’s last Premier League trophy, after which the team has failed to even challenge, let alone win it. United have tried every profile of manager in a bid to be successful again, from Ferguson’s choice, David Moyes, to decorated bosses like Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, to those with club blood, former striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and, most recently, Erik ten Hag, regarded as one of Europe’s brightest coaches.

Amorim was asked why he believes he can succeed while previous managers with more championships had failed. “Here, you had different types of coaches,” Amorim added.

Van Gaal and Mourinho won everything, followed by newcomers who understood the club thoroughly and out, such as Solskjaer, and Ten Hag, one of the greatest outside of the five strongest leagues. So I don’t know.

“We need to progress as a club. We need time, as does any coach who comes here, but we must also recognize the importance of winning games. So I don’t have any solutions for it. You’ve had different coaches, but the results are the same. We’ll strive to do things our way and my way.”

One immediate difference will be how United set up, with Amorim preferring a 3-4-3 shape, which he claims he will adopt from his first game on Sunday at Portman Road. United’s players will have to adjust to Amorim’s style, with the new manager emphasizing his authority early on and warning that any doubters or those who do not believe in his ideas would be dismissed.

“As a coach, you have to choose one way or another,” Amorim told the reporter. “I always select 100% our way. I like to take a small risk, and I have been so confident in our style of play since the first day that they will believe as well.

“So there are no second thoughts, no second options. It’s one way, and we’re going to do it. We will modify certain players because we do not have the appropriate profile and this squad was designed for a different system.

“But the concepts are the same whether you play with five or four. The placement is slightly different. Perhaps on Sunday, you will see the starting lineup and not notice much of a change. However, you will notice several differences in the game, such as location, ball reception, and ball coverage.

“We’ll play a new kind of football. We have our views; I’m not saying they’re the best ideas, but they reflect our perspective on football. It isn’t evolution or revolution; it’s a shift in how we play football.”

Amorim talked for slightly under half an hour before standing up, embracing several familiar Portuguese journalists, and returning to his preparations for Sunday. The hard work begins here for Amorim and United’s underperforming players, who might be in for a big surprise if their new manager keeps his promise.