Why Ruben Amorim’s Hiring Actually Signals a New Era, Unlike Erik ten Hag’s Appointment
Manchester United fans on social media have their expectations tempered about the arrival of Ruben Amorim.
After all, they have seen this movie before. A highly rated tactician from a lower league is coming to be the savior of their club. Erik ten Hag’s failed experience is still fresh in their minds.
One could argue even that ten Hag had more European success than Amorim in European competitions. While both appointments have some similarities, they could not have been more different than each other at the moment.
This is not a dive into Amorim tactics; the below thread or this article explains them better than anything.
This article will state the reasons on why the Portuguese coach hiring is different than the Dutch manager.
Sporting Is Not Ajax
First of all, there is a big difference between Sporting’s competition in the Portuguese League and Ajax’s competition in the Dutch League.
During the Amorim era, Sporting had the third highest payroll in the league behind Benfica and Porto. The difference between Sporting and the club with the highest payroll—Benfica—is €20 million. To put that into context, the difference between Sporting and the eighteenth-placed team is €25 million. During all of the Amorim era, Sporting did not once have the highest payroll in the Portuguese League.
On the other hand, during all of ten Hag’s era, Ajax had the highest payroll. In 2021-2022, the difference between Ajax payroll and second-placed Feyenoord stood at around €20 million. This was the same difference between Feyenord and the eighteenth-placed team.
So, Ajax always had the highest payroll in the Dutch League, which should have always given them the edge in terms of having the best squad. It is fair to say that Ajax winning the league in the Netherlands is as expected as Bayern Munich in Germany or Paris Saint-Germain in France.
On the other hand, Sporting managed to surpass the Porto and Benfica strongholds on the league before Amorim’s arrival. The Portuguese coach did more with less and his achievements is close to Xabi Alonso winning the title with Bayern Leverkusen.
Different Situation to Come Into
The situation where Ruben Amorim came in Sporting was disastrous, to say the least. The club was a mess; they had not won the league in 19 years. Famously in 2018, the club fans attacked the players training ground and injured these players. Before his arrival, they had sacked three coaches in that season.
It is safe to say that the Portuguese club was in disarray. Adding to that, the 39-year-old was just six months into his coaching career before taking arguably the most difficult job in Portugal. Oh, and there is also the small matter that Amorim played most of his career at their fiercest rival. Good luck in turning that around, and turning it around was what Amorim did.
On the other hand, the Dutch coach took charge of Ajax in 2018. While the club had not won the league for four seasons, they were not a mess as Sporting.
Six months before ten Hag took charge, Ajax were playing against Manchester United in the Europa League final. They arguably had the best young core in Europe in Matthis De Ligt, Donny van de Beek, Frenkie de Jong, Andre Onana, Joel Veltman and other bright prospects of Ajax’s well-established academy. Ajax also had club legends Marc Overmars and Edwin van der Sar in the boardroom to guide the squad-building traditions.
This is not to diminish the Dutch coach’s achievements at Ajax. Yet, it is fair to say that ten Hag came into a much better situation in Ajax than Amorim in Sporting.
Ajax was a club on the rise with very good young talents, while Sporting were a mess and a potential career ender.
Playing Career
It is also fair to say that managers who had successful playing careers connect better with their players. They know what the players need. They know the expectations at a big club. Former players at top club understand that not all players should be treated the same. There are stars, squad players and fringe players. How to connect with all of them and keep them harmony is easier when you were a former player at a big club that knows the dynamics.
Amorim was a Portuguese International who had 11 caps for his National team. He also played 153 games for one of the biggest clubs in Portugal – Benfica-.
On the other hand, ten Hag was never capped for the Dutch National Team. He also never played for any of the Netherlands biggest clubs.
This does not mean that the Portuguese will handle the dynamics of Manchester United dressing better than ten Hag. A lot of great players failed as managers. He just has a better chance due to his former experience in a top club.
While Amorim never had an illustrious playing career, his experience at the top level – Benfica and Portugal National Team- will help him to understand the need of players at this level than Ten Hag.
A Different Manchester United
A lot of changes have been happening in the Red Devils boardroom. Sir Jim Ratcliffe is now in control of football operations. Omar Berrada, Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox now lead the club footballing department. There is no John Murtough or Richard Arnold making football decisions like when Ten Hag was hired.
Before the INEOS era started, everything was happening in Manchester for commercial reasons. A lot of people – myself included- doubted that the Dutch coach was hired only because fans on social media only wanted him. There was never a clear plan on how to back him or protect him from himself.
The speed of Amorim hiring shows the difference in approach. Long gone are the days of the decisions being mulled over for weeks in Florida. Long gone are the days of bankers making football decisions at Manchester United. There are now empowered football people in the club to make the football decisions.
You know that Berrada, Ashworth and Wilcox made the hiring with a plan on how to back and build for the Portuguese coach. This is even reflected in the fact that his job title changed from Manager to Head coach.
The Dutch coach never had a chance to succeed with the mess above him. Amorim has a better chance with more competent people in charge helping him not hindering him.
Not A Guaranteed Success, But a More Likely One
The only similarity between ten Hag and Amorim hirings is that they were both successful in lower leagues.
They had different career paths as players and managers. They have a different tactical identity. They had different experiences before taking charge of Manchester United.
Adding to that, the decisions in Manchester United are now made with only one target in mind: win football games and major trophies. This bodes well for the Portuguese manager. When ten Hag was hired, the only target in mind was balancing the club accounts.
All of the above does not guarantee that Amorim will succeed. Yet, Manchester United fans have reasons to be optimistic. These hirings could not be more different because the people taking them have different targets in mind.
There is light at the end of the tunnel.
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