Ruben Amorim joked that he could be called ‘the new Alex Ferguson‘ if he wins over Manchester United fans by defeating rivals Manchester City in the Champions League this week.
As part of Amorim’s farewell tour with Sporting, he faces Pep Guardiola and his team in Lisbon on Tuesday night.
Amorim, who is set to take over as Manchester United’s new head coach on November 11, recognized the heightened interest surrounding his team’s upcoming match against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. With many eyes on the fixture, he understood the pressure of performing well against such a formidable opponent.
He also pointed out that this match would be particularly significant as it marks the beginning of a renewed rivalry with Guardiola, which will continue once he moves to England in just six weeks. The upcoming clash adds further excitement to their ongoing competitive history.
‘The focus is on winning the game for Sporting; after that, the inferences that people will draw from this game are not important to me because they could be misleading,’ he said.
‘If the result is negative, expectations will drop; if we win, they will think that the new Alex Ferguson has arrived!
‘What interests me is winning, a good farewell in Alvalade, winning in Braga, and starting a new adventure in Manchester. What I want is to leave the fans and my players happy for what is to come in the new season.’
For the second consecutive press conference, Amorim chose not to answer any questions in English. Sporting’s press officer explained that the manager would have ample opportunities to communicate in English once he begins his role at Manchester United on November 11. The decision was in line with his current focus on his responsibilities at Sporting, with the press officer emphasizing that Amorim’s transition to Manchester United would come with plenty of time to adapt to the language demands of his new position.
Despite this, Amorim did reveal that he conducts his training sessions at Sporting in English. He explained that he is already familiar with the language in a professional setting, and he feels assured of his capacity for clear communication with players. Amorim also mentioned that he plans to simplify his instructions when he arrives at Old Trafford, ensuring a smooth transition and allowing him to hit the ground running with Manchester United right from the start.
‘My communication at the beginning will be simpler because it is in English,’ he explained.
‘I think I will have to spend three months… they say that is enough. The players will not be offended if I say that [instructions] are more basic. I give training sessions here in English.’
He continued: ‘It will be a different adaptation, but my life will be the same. There is a way of playing, an idea. Communication will be more basic.’
A Portuguese reporter asked Amorim about his previous trip to London to meet with West Ham, a move he later apologized for upon returning to Lisbon and continuing his role at Sporting.
It was suggested to Amorim that his previous visit showed his intention to eventually leave Portugal for England.
‘I went to England, I didn’t go to negotiate,’ he explained.
‘I went to meet the owner. I had made my decision. I stayed because I spoke to the president, and he convinced me to stay for another year.
‘If you think I already wanted to leave last year, there’s nothing I can do about it.
‘I accepted this invitation [from Manchester United] and I’ve already explained why. Now it’s time to think about tomorrow’s game, then we’ll have time to talk about it.’
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