MANCHESTER, England — Ruben Amorim, the newly appointed head coach of Manchester United, expressed his ambitions for the iconic football club during a press conference on Friday, calling himself a “dreamer” with the hope of reversing the team’s fortunes.
Stating his belief in being the ideal fit at a pivotal time, the Portuguese coach emphasized, “Call me naive, but I truly believe I am the right guy in the right moment.” This marks his first address to the media since assuming his position at Old Trafford.
Amorim, who has signed a contract lasting two and a half years, is the sixth permanent manager since the legendary Alex Ferguson departed the club in 2013. During that span, Manchester United has not secured the Premier League title and has witnessed over a decade of decline on the field.
The 20-time league champions look to Amorim, who previously managed Sporting Lisbon, as he steps into a challenging role, succeeding notable figures like David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Erik ten Hag—all of whom have aimed to restore the club’s dominance in both English and European football.
Ahead of his inaugural match against Ipswich on Sunday, Amorim remarked, “I am a little bit a dreamer, and I believe in myself and in the club.” He admitted the journey might take time but stressed the immediate expectation of winning, saying, “When you are in Manchester United, you have to win games.” He acknowledged that achieving success in one of the most competitive leagues requires significant improvement, emphasizing, “We have to win games to win time and then we have to win titles.”
With two Portuguese league championships under his belt, Amorim dismissed notions that managing United had turned into an impossible task since Ferguson’s legendary era. Ferguson is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest managers, having secured 28 major trophies for the club, including 13 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues.
The pressure of following Ferguson’s legacy proved daunting for high-profile coaches like Van Gaal and Mourinho, who enjoyed distinguished careers at renowned clubs. Even Erik ten Hag, who had a successful stint at Ajax before taking the helm at United in 2022, was dismissed last month after a dismal start to the current season left the team languishing in 14th place.
Different managerial styles have emerged with similar outcomes, and Amorim noted, “You have different types of coaches, the same results. We will try to do it in our way.”
His appointment comes after British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe became a minority owner of the club in February, aiming to reshape the soccer operations of Manchester United as part of a $1.3 billion investment to acquire a 27.7% stake from the American Glazer family, who continue to be the majority owners. Ratcliffe has also brought in a new CEO, sporting director, and technical director as part of the overhaul strategy.
Amorim now faces a significant challenge in turning around a disappointing season, which has seen United make its worst start to the league since 1986. Although currently sitting in 13th place, the team is only four points behind Chelsea, who are in third.