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Amorim emphasises importance of youth
Friday 21 February 2025 22:30
Ruben Amorim’s embargoed section of his pre-Everton press conference focused on a number of topics.
The boss was asked whether he regrets his decision to join Manchester United, if the players are buying into his methods and about the work David Moyes has undertaken at Goodison Park, reviving the Merseysiders’ fortunes.
There was also a question on the free-agent market, in light of suffering so many injuries last week, which allowed our head coach to explain his faith in the youngsters who broke into the squad for last weekend’s defeat at Tottenham.
See what Ruben had to say to the press…
When you were at Sporting, you said you’d prefer to take the job in the summer but the club said it’s now or never. Are we seeing why you wanted the job in the summer and why it’s easier to come in during pre-season?
“I think that is clear. I think it’s common sense, when you start a season, it’s completely different. You have time to think things, to feel the players, to have pre-season to do changes that you feel are necessary in a team or in a squad. That is clear but that was the choice so I don’t want to talk. I have my reasons to ask for that but I have my reasons, the most important reasons, to accept the job. I know it will be tough and the risk, I know that, but it’s Manchester United and you cannot say no.”
This week, it’s been one year of INEOS and there’s more changes being discussed, more cost cutting, is the deal being sold to you the same as when you first came in?
“I really don’t want to go to that path. We are in this situation and the important thing is we are together. We have a lot of things to solve, the board and as a staff. There are a lot of changes in the staff. You can feel it and, also, we have a lot of problems. We cannot, all the time, make a resume of everything in the press conference. Let’s focus on Everton, just a win can change a little bit the things and my goal is to win the game.”
Okay, on Everton, David Moyes, and the job he’s done, he’s got that managerial bounce with him coming back. So why has he got that and you couldn’t get that here?
“A simple thing – David Moyes is doing a better job than me. It’s quite simple but then small things, like winning one game, two games. So that belief and the pressure is also not the same. I don’t know but I think we have to give merit to the players of Everton, especially to the coach of Everton. That’s all and we need to do the same.”
Given how difficult it’s been, have you ever questioned your decision to come here?
“No, again we just make a decision and then go all the way. Of course, sometimes, it’s really frustrating when you hear out loud 14 games and four wins, in Manchester United. Even in another club, it’s really hard and really frustrating. Sometimes I get frustrated, angry and everything. Let’s move on. We can change that in the next game.”
There are reports some of the players in the squad are not convinced by your methods and footballing philosophy, do you recognise that in any of them or sense it at all?
“I don’t feel it clearly. I don’t feel it in training. If you watch our games, you can have that sensation sometimes but I am not worrying about that. If they are not convinced, I don’t feel that. It’s my job to change their minds and I’m quite good on that.”
Part one: Press conference v Everton Video
Part one: Press conference v Everton
Press conference part one | Ruben began by addressing our injury situation and who might be available at Goodison…
How quickly do you feel their minds are changing, in terms of how they play and not their attitude to you?
“If we win, like, two games or just one game. I just ask for one game, and the next one is Everton, everything changes slowly. When you win, it’s so much easier to take all the doubts out of the minds of the players. The only way I see it is to be really confident when you transmit the image you want, the way you want to play and then to win games. If you do that, it’s going to be easy.”
You’ve spoken a lot about the system and have stuck with it. You said you stick to your idea but you haven’t always played [the back five] as, in your first job at Casa Pia, you started with a back four and then moved to this. So why did you settle on his system and why did you question yourself back then?
“It’s like we worked so many years with this system. I don’t see it as a system of a back three, a back five or a back four. I think we can adapt, passing the principles. The principles have one beginning and then we go forward, we play with three, we play with four, we play with five. I think we can adapt from that system. So I don’t see a system as three defenders or five defenders. I see principles and we can change the system, this way of playing, and we can adapt to a different system. When I started in Casa Pia, I believed it was something I needed to do. I just know how to do the things I believe, that is all.”
With the lack of senior players, have you ever considered adding to your squad with free agents?
“No, no. Not that idea. We have young players, we are working with young players. We have to really focus on that, as a club, when we have, at this moment, a lot of injuries. We should use the young players. If not, you don’t have the space for them to improve and show themselves. I think we really need to focus in the future of our club on the youth, because of the history and because of the reality of our club.”
Will there be youngsters in the squad tomorrow?
“Maybe they are in the squad, we will see tomorrow.”
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Friday 21 February 2025 22:30
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