Rúben Amorim switch to Manchester United put on ice… for now
The football world in Portugal has focused on nothing else for days. Ever since it emerged Manchester United had earmarked Rúben Amorim as the man to replace outgoing manager Ten Hag, and the Sporting coach was apparently receptive to an immediate move, the local media have been talking about little else.
With no denial forthcoming from Sporting or Amorim himself, the appointment of the 39-year-old at Old Trafford appeared set for a swift conclusion, especially after Sporting yesterday officially informed the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM) that Manchester United had “expressed their interest in paying the release clause of €10 million” of Amorim’s contract.
But looks can be deceptive. Tom Kundert reports from Lisbon.
Surreal post-match press conference
Sporting played Nacional da Madeira in the Taça da Liga last night, and the post-match press conference was certainly the most bizarre in Amorim’s 5-year career as a head coach.
Known for his adeptness at getting his message across, supreme confidence when facing the media and above all his clarity of thought, Amorim displayed few of those trademark communication skills in the Artur Agostinho auditorium press room at Alvalade.
In the pitch-side flash interview Amorim got a sample of what was to come, when the reporter’s first question was whether he had enjoyed his ‘farewell match’. “Nobody knows whether this was my farewell match. Nothing’s decided yet. So let’s focus on analysis of the game,” was Amorim’s response.
Later in the interview the journalist tried his luck again, Amorim lifting the lid a little more by saying: “I've got nothing to add. Anything I say will create more noise. There’s nothing concrete to say about the matter. When there’s something concrete to say I’ll say it. Now the goal is to beat Estrela da Amadora [Sporting's next match on Friday].”
In the press conference itself it was the same story only amplified exponentially. Amorim’s original idea of not answering questions about his future, just about the game, went out of the window as he proceeded to answer relentless questions about all aspects of the move, tying himself up in knots in the process. For someone who has proven himself so astute at saying the right things at the right times, it is curious he declined to implement the “No Comment” option.
Translated summary of Amorim’s press conference answers
On the official statement to the CMVM: “There was a communication by the club and that’s the only thing there is for now. Manchester United have shown an interest, but it’s my decision. While nothing is decided, let’s not create noise.”
On promising to still be Sporting’s coach on the weekend? “I can’t promise anything. What I know is that tomorrow I’ll be taking the training session. I’m going to prepare the game against Estrela da Amadora. That’s where my focus is.”
On the players being angry/disappointed in him after the tacit pact in the summer that no players should leave as Sporting targeted a historic second successive championship for the first time in 70 years, and a deep run in the Champions League. “Of course they’re angry. They have a lot of warmth for me and my work. People have to feel what that have to feel at this moment. I understand that. It’s perfectly natural. I’m going to explain why I decided one way or the other.”
On the strange atmosphere in the stadium: “Yes, it was strange. There’s no getting away from that. A strange game, on a strange day. The atmosphere in the stadium was different and I felt it too. The players in the pre-match camp – I felt they were different. What can I say to the fans? It’s obvious they are furious. It’s a fine line between love and hate in football.”
On winning a second successive championship: “I want us all to be two-time champions, to win the Cup and the League Cup. This has cropped up, but I don’t want this goal to change. I’m going to explain all my decisions at the end, whatever happens.”
On the lack of stability at Manchester United: “If I answered this question I’d be putting the cart before the horse. Whatever the decision is, I will be here to explain it in detail.”
An increasingly flustered and Amorim, sending out mixed messages, culminated with this final somewhat nonsensical exchange, in English:
English journalist: “Where will you be on Sunday?”
Amorim: “Here”
English journalist: “Is that definite?”
Amorim: “I don’t know”
30-day notice
As of today, Wednesday, Amorim’s proposed switch to Manchester United appears further from happening than it had earlier in the week, at least in the immediate future. News has emerged of a 30-day notice period that legally has to be served if Amorim resigns and/or the English club pay the release clause.
Sporting president Frederico Varandas certainly seemed less stressed that Amorim this morning, as he was filmed taking a morning jog into Sporting’s Alcochete training Academy. The waiting journalists were left empty-handed when asking for the latest developments concerning the coach. “It’s a beautiful morning!” responded Varandas without breaking stride.
The day after
The excellent Portuguese podcast, “E o campeão é…” was unequivocal about the fact that Amorim’s journey from Primeira Liga to the Premier League can no longer be a smooth one.
Bruno Roseiro, sports editor of O Observador spelt out Sporting’s gripes. “We shouldn’t forget that Sporting have let it be known that the coach has already decided he wants to leave, and that Sporting will do everything to delay his departure, which includes the 30-day legal notice period, which is valid even if the release clause is paid. This led Manchester United to present a higher offer, over the €10 million, but even so Sporting rejected it.
“The chance of Rúben Amorim staying at Sporting is zero. The chance of him leaving Sporting amicably is zero. At this point in time Rúben Amorim has backed himself into a corner with no easy way out.”
Player discontent
According to Roseiro, the manner of the proposed move has also driven a wedge between a hitherto rock-solid bond between players and the coach. “The players did not like what has happened. Yesterday at the academy at least two of them confronted him about it, asking him why this was happening after everything they had talked about in preseason, where the objective was for Sporting to be two-time champions and to have a deep run in the Champions League.”
Roseiro was at pains to point out exactly why Varandas is fighting so ferociously to prevent the move from happening, at least in the terms Amorim wants.
The whole package
“The departure of Amorim may not be just the departure of the coach. It may be the departure of the entire project. And that is what may be at stake. Rúben Amorim has assistants, but he also has a scouting team that choose the best players to fit his ideas and the identity of his side, and this is very difficult to put together.
“I don’t know to what extent United are interested not only in contracting the coach, but to gut the whole structure and take the entire winning package.”
Rúben Amorim will certainly be the next Manchester United coach. It is patently obvious that is what he wants and it is what Manchester United want. Unfortunately, the collateral damage has been significant. It now seems certain a scintillating period for Sporting, entirely thanks to Amorim’s brilliance, will be tarnished by an acrimonious end.