Ruben Amorim tried to delay his arrival in Manchester Unitedbut after finally agreeing to leave Sporting Lisbon Midway through last season, he wasted no time getting started.
When he first arrived at Carrington, it was a cold November international break. Most of his team were playing for their countries on the road, but that didn't stop Amorim and his team from giving those remaining a crash course in what was expected.
The first priority was the implementation of a system completely different from the one used by predecessor Erik ten Hag.
“From the moment he came to the club he was very clear about how he wanted to play, what system he wanted to play in.” Johnny Evans reminds. “He laid it out.
“When he came, we had a break in the national team. He sat down with the team and showed us. Obviously a lot of players were missing and as soon as they came back he sat them down and showed them around.”
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Monday marks the anniversary of Amorim's first game as manager, with a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town in November 2024 providing the first look at his plans for United. It also gave some insight into the problems facing the Portuguese coach.
“Everything was very fast,” recalls Amorim. “My first thought was that the environment was really different in Premier Leagueand it excited me. I immediately realized that we would have to struggle on some issues.”
Even before meeting the players, Amorim had watched enough video to realize that Ten Hag's team was giving the ball away too often and the players weren't prepared enough to win it back effectively. The first half at Portman Road gave a glimpse of the band's individual qualities as Amad Dialloplaying in his new full-back position, he raced down the right flank and crossed for Marcus Rashford score in the first two minutes.
Omari Hutchinson made it 1-1 before the break, and in the second half United confirmed the problems identified by Amorim in advance.
“I think we need to improve the physicality of the team,” he said after the game. “I think we lose the ball too often and we need to keep it better. We've got to be better at running back.”
An equally big problem was just two days of training to switch the system from Ten Hag's 4-3-3 to Amorim's 3-4-3. Evans, who was picked to start against Ipswich, admits he looked at the touchline to make sure he was doing the right thing. Diogo Dalot subsequently even said that Amorim's pre-match message was “really clear” but that it would take time for the players to “bring it to life”.
In preparation for the Ipswich game, Amorim spent time working on the team's form on the indoor pitch at the academy building in Carrington, which Ten Hag used mainly for muscle activation and warm-up. Amorim was at the center of all activities, regularly stopping them to relay instructions and even physically moving players to the correct positions when things went wrong.
“We didn't have much time because when he came it was the middle of the international break,” Evans says. “Most of the players only met on Thursday and the game was on Sunday, so we only had a few days to work on it.
“It was a new system, so we were getting used to it at the time. One or two times in the press he wanted us to be a little more aggressive. I looked around and asked, “Am I doing the right thing here?”
Amorim said that throughout the game he had the feeling that his players were overthinking and sometimes “confused.”
“It was very difficult for them; they thought [about] what to do,” he said. – It was not liquid, which is normal after two workouts.
“Everything is so different. They used to pass the ball and move forward. Even the central defenders. Now they have to go back. Previously, Dalot would pass to the centre-back and then move into the center and play as a midfielder. Now he has to stay in this position. It’s difficult for the players to cope with everything in three days.”
“Next year we may be at the same stage with the same problems. Or we'll start now. We take a little risk, we suffer a little, and in a year we will be better.”
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Gab and Jules assess Ruben Amorim's first year at Manchester United
Gab Marcotti and Julien Lawrence look back on Ruben Amorim's first 12 months as Manchester United manager.
However, the problems that arose against Ipswich a year ago were not easily resolved and the misery that Amorim predicted led to a 15th-place finish in the Premier League. But ahead EvertonFollowing Monday's visit to Old Trafford, there is a feeling that things are, as Amorim put it, “getting better.”
Testament to the changes he has seen in 12 months is the fact that only six players who started against Ipswich are still at the club. Summer additions, especially Brian Mbeumo And Matheus Cunhahave helped accelerate United's development, and the system is gradually becoming less confusing and more flexible.
While Amorim initially made no secret of his desire to start work in the summer, he now sees the opportunity to make early decisions as a positive. It meant the start of this season felt like a fresh start, something Amorim experienced during the pre-season tour of America.
In addition to intense tactical training, the trip to Chicago, New York and Atlanta was all about team bonding. It was a continuation of the process that began at the team hotel before the Ipswich game, when the round tables were replaced by two long tables: one for the players, one for the staff. It felt like the smaller tables were better for splitting the team into groups, and Amorim wanted his players to spend more time together.
Amorim also limits one-on-one interactions with players, as he prefers to interact with the group as a whole as much as possible. Even this is carefully thought out for a specific purpose.
There was no dressing room debrief at Portman Road a year ago and there is unlikely to be one after Monday's game against Everton, with Amorim instead opting to let the emotions of the matchday fade before addressing his players. However, that doesn't mean players are immune from punishment and, particularly last season, there were some angry grillings at Carrington when things weren't going well.
The mood is different now. Amorim heads into the game against Everton on the back of a five-match unbeaten run and an acknowledgment that the short-term pain of last season was worth it to gain an edge on the mammoth task at Old Trafford.
“I think we're showing [the team is different]”But the important thing is that it doesn't matter what we did in the last games,” Amorim said on Friday. “We cannot forget that we started from this moment. [against Ipswich]We suffered a lot last year, so we need to take that into account and play every game like it's our last.
“But of course, if you ask me, I expect the team [against Everton] with more control, more dominance, better football and most importantly more competitive in every way.”
A year on from his first game in charge, Amorim hopes United can take the next steps towards the top.
