Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim insists he’s ready to die on this hill, as he refuses to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor.
Amorim arrived at the club last November following the sacking of Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman spent just over two years at Carrington, and his reign was characterised by tactical confusion and disappointing results, albeit he managed to win two trophies.
The Dutchman was renowned for the exciting brand of football displayed during his time at Ajax. However, he raised eyebrows when he admitted that he’s incapable of implementing his style at Man United, thus succumbing to a more pragmatic approach.
Ruben Amorim explains why he won’t follow Erik ten Hag’s approach
On the contrary, Amorim has been significantly more stubborn when defending his ideas, despite registering even worse results.
The Portuguese has been repeatedly urged to drop his 3-4-2-1 system, with a host of pundits arguing that the bulk of the Man United is more suited to a 4-2-3-1 formation.
However, Amorim is having none of it. He even went on to declare that ‘not even the pope’ can convince him to change his system.
In fact, the former Sporting CP coach insists that Ten Hag’s experience should be taken as a cautionary tale about why a Man Utd manager must never abandon his ideas.
“I remember that all the media and fans were saying that a Manchester United manager must have a philosophy and an identity,” said Amorim in an interview with Sky Sports.
“Everyone was saying that when the previous coach said he couldn’t play the same way here as he did at his former club. Everyone was saying that he had been hired for his philosophy and his style of play, and that he wasn’t applying it here.
“So, the system isn’t the problem. It’s the results. If you don’t win, people will point the finger at something. We will change our way of playing, but it will take time. I do things at my own pace.”
Ruben Amorim thinks Man United have been unlucky
The Red Devils have only managed to pick up four points from as many Premier League rounds. They suffered defeats to Arsenal and Manchester City, settled for a draw against Fulham, and only managed to beat Burnley, not without difficulty. These results have put Amorim’s position under great scrutiny.
Nevertheless, Amorim argues that United would have picked up more points had they have luck on their side.
“If I look at the matches, I think we’ve been unlucky. Luck that we can turn around by being more aggressive and more confident. Sometimes we play well, but it lacks conviction.”
