Sporting Lisbon's Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim is pictured prior to the Portuguese League football match between Sporting CP and GD Chaves at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon Ruben Amorim brought incredible success to Sporting Lisbon as he led the side to the Portuguese league title in 2020/2021 and again in 2023/2024. Picture: Patricia de melo Moreira/AFP
New Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim has said all the right things before he takes charge of the club for the first time this weekend, and the latest is praise of the highest order for the former juggernauts of English football.
Amorim brought incredible success to Sporting Lisbon as he led the side to the Portuguese league title in 2020/2021 and again in 2023/2024.
He replaced Erik ten Hag, who was sacked late last month, before Ruud van Nistelrooy led United in the interim period.
The 39-year-old Ruben Amorim officially began work for United on November 11, and his first assignment will be a league encounter away at Ipswich Town on Sunday, before a Europa League clash at home as they welcome Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt on November 28.
Though the move is undoubtedly a major one for Amorim, he revealed how difficult it was to leave Sporting during the middle of a season.
“I think it was the right club in the right moment for me. I felt that this is my place. I think it was the right club in the right moment for me,” Amorim told Gary Neville on Sky Sports.
“It was very tough to leave Sporting. Because in the middle of the season, you can say everything, it's Manchester United. It's everything, it's the moment, it's the club that I want. But you are leaving your guys in middle of the season. It was really hard but I had to do it and I was so happy, of course.
“You can see it in every interaction that I have but I also felt in the first moment it was a little bit overwhelming. But after five minutes you start thinking about the club, the team, the players, how to play.... so it was quite fun.”
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