Ruben Amorim is set to take charge of Manchester United for the first time this Sunday when they face Ipswich, full of confidence that he can turn the club’s fortunes around.
The 39-year-old has been a rising star in European football after a highly successful stint at Sporting Lisbon, where his teams played exciting, attacking football and won trophies.
Now, he arrives at Old Trafford with the challenge of breathing new life into a Manchester United side that has struggled since legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
In the 11 years since Ferguson’s departure, United have failed to challenge for major trophies like the Premier League or Champions League.
The club is currently sitting in 13th place in the league, and many fans are beginning to wonder if the glory days are gone for good.
Here’s a look at the major challenges Ruben Amorim will face as he tries to bring Manchester United back to the top:
Building His Own Style
Under previous managers like Erik ten Hag, United showed glimpses of quality but never truly developed a clear and consistent style of play.
Despite winning two trophies during his time at the club, Ten Hag`s United was often dependent on individual moments of brilliance rather than a team strategy.
Amorim, on the other hand, is known for his bold, high-energy football. In his time at Sporting Lisbon, he led the team to two Portuguese league titles, breaking a 19-year trophy drought and ending Benfica and Porto’s dominance.
Amorim`s style is all about fast, attacking football, and he’s made it clear that this will be his approach at United as well.
“When you’re a coach, you must commit fully to one way of playing,” Amorim said when he was introduced as United’s new manager.
“I believe in our style so much that the players will believe in it too. There’s no backup plan – we’ll play our way.”
The only problem is that Amorim doesn’t have much time to work on his tactics.
With 12 matches coming up in just over a month, he will have limited opportunities to really drill his philosophy into the squad.
Tackling the ‘Graveyard’ of United’s Recent Managers
United has spent huge amounts of money on new players over the last few years, but the results haven’t been great.
Over £600 million was spent on new signings during Ten Hag’s time at the club, but many of the players haven’t lived up to expectations.
The club has gone through six permanent managers since Ferguson retired, with all of them struggling to restore the team to its former glory.
Managers like David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer all came and went, but none could manage to sustain success at United.
As former United captain Gary Neville pointed out, “Every manager who comes to Manchester United ends up being blamed at some point.
Big-money signings, even when other clubs were after them, come here and flop. It’s like the ‘graveyard’ for players.”
Amorim will inherit a talented squad, but getting the best out of these players will be key. He needs to find a way to make his new team click and start delivering consistent results.
Restoring Belief Among the Fans
One of the hardest things for Amorim to do will be reigniting the belief of the Manchester United fans. After years of underachievement, fans have seen rivals like Manchester City and Liverpool take over as the dominant forces in English football.
Old Trafford, once known for its electric atmosphere, has seen a drop in its reputation as a fortress, with big clubs like Liverpool and Tottenham winning there easily in recent seasons.
Amorim will need to energize the crowd and make them believe that this time, things will be different.
Bruno Fernandes, United’s captain, has seen what Amorim can do, having played under him at Sporting.
Fernandes believes Amorim’s style will bring excitement back to United, just as it did in Portugal.
“I’ve always been a fan of Sporting, and I watched a lot of their games,” Fernandes said.
“Amorim brought a lot of excitement to the club, and he transformed everything. He brought the whole team together. That’s exactly what United needs right now.”
Amorim himself is confident that he’s the right person to turn things around at Old Trafford. "I’m a dreamer, and I believe in myself," he said.
"I believe in this club, and we share the same mindset. I want to try new things, and even if people don’t think it’s possible, I do.”
The pressure will be on, but Amorim’s self-belief is clear. He’s ready to take on the challenge and prove that he can lead Manchester United back to success.
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