Former Manchester United player Phil Jones has revealed a massive challenge that incoming manager Ruben Amorim is set to face upon arriving at Old Trafford.
With life under former manager Erik ten Hag getting progressively worse this season, Amorim emerged as a frontrunner in the race to replace the Dutch manager.
This is particularly due to his remarkable track record at Sporting Lisbon and relative youth, making him an ideal long-term solution.
Still, while the 39 year old is an exciting prospect, Jones believes that it will not be quick and easy for him to get United on track.
When asked about whether Amorim will find it easy to switch United to his preferred back three Jones delivered a blunt reply. “No, that takes practice on the training pitch,” he stated on Match of the Day 2.
“We played a back three under Louis van Gaal; we spent many hours on the pitch, eleven v eleven, getting the distances right. The timing of the actions has to be spot on, so it’ll be difficult, it’s a difficult job,” Jones concluded, alluding to how challenging it will be for Amorim to switch up the system midway through the season.
Jones is all too familiar with life under former manager Van Gaal and his preference for three at the back. During his two seasons at United, Van Gaal largely struggled to build momentum, winning an average of just 1.81 points per match with just 54 wins in 103 games. (Transfermarkt)
What’s more, he quickly figured out that a back three was not suited to his team, often shifting formations to a 4-1-4-1, 4-2-3-1, or 4-4-2 diamond.
His only silverware at United was the 2015/16 FA Cup.
Of course, it would be wrong to write off Amorim due to the experience of a former manager with a far different squad.
After all, Amorim has enjoyed a scintillating managerial career to date, with Sporting fans pouring into the Estádio José Alvalade to bid farewell to the Portuguese manager at his final match at the club, a 5-1 victory over Estrela Amadora.
Still, the loss felt by Sporting fans is United’s gain, with the club set to enter into a new era of football that hopefully leaves behind the heartache and persistent errors experienced under the previous manager.
Featured Image Gualter Fatia via Getty Images
Mathew Cohen
A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.
