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Friday 22 November 2024 14:20
Ruben Amorim opened up about a private message he received from former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, when taking part in his first press conference as the club’s new head coach.
The 39-year-old sat down in front of the media at Carrington on Friday, two days out from his maiden Premier League game, which comes on Sunday when the Reds travel to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town (16:30 GMT).
Journalists present were keen to ask Amorim about his relationship with his compatriot, Mourinho, who welcomed him to Carrington on an internship in 2018, when Amorim was still studying to become a coach.
Ruben explained that Jose had sent him some thoughts soon after his switch from Sporting to United, and went on to speak about the broader influence Mourinho has had on his career – plus the differences between the pair.
“He sent me a message and told me that this is a lovely club, a big club, with lovely people – and that is correct,” began the new man. “It still is.
“But a lot of things change and we are in a different building now; we are building a new one, and I am different guy. I was learning at the time and I hope to now teach something here too, to my players.
“But the club is still big and is still the best club in England, and we want to win again, that is all.”
Asked to expand on what he learned from Mourinho, he stressed that the main area in which Jose influenced him was in terms of self-belief.
“The first thing, not just me, but with all the Portuguese coaches, it showed that we can be the best in the world,” he said.
“This is something different in a small country; this can [help] put a stamp on everybody. But I am different from [Jose] Mourinho, I am different person. But I do remember that time. In that time, you looked at Mourinho and you felt he can win everywhere.
“It is not the same thing; he was a European champion and I am not a European champion.
“But I am different guy in a different moment,” Amorim stressed.
“Football nowadays is different and I think I am the right person for this moment, because I am young guy and I understand the players, so I try to use that to help my players like Mourinho did in that era and what he did at Chelsea.
“If you remember, the young guys were like [Frank] Lampard and these kind of players. Nowadays, it is so much more different. So I think I am the right guy for this moment.”
Amorim spoke to the media for nigh-on 20 minutes, and you will be able to watch the press conference in full via MUTV and ManUtd.com.
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Friday 22 November 2024 14:20
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