Ruben Amorim Inherits ‘Difficult Position’ at Manchester United, Calls for Effort and Intensity

Newly-appointed Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has acknowledged the challenging situation he has inherited at the club, describing his new side as “a massive club but not a massive team.” Despite United’s impressive history, which includes 20 top-flight titles, making them English football’s most successful club domestically, their recent results have not reflected their past glory.

Amorim, who arrived at Old Trafford with United languishing in the bottom half of the table, emphasized the need for his players to understand the gravity of their current position. “We’re a massive club but we’re not a massive team and we know it so it is no problem to say it,” Amorim said during a news conference on Friday. “Our players have to understand that it’s a very difficult position. We’re not one of the best teams in the league and we have to say and think that clearly but our past, our club is maybe the best one in the league. So here we have a problem and we have to focus on the little things and little details.”

The 39-year-old coach, who won three Primeira Liga titles during his time at Sporting CP, has had limited time on the training pitch since taking over from Erik ten Hag due to a packed fixture list. As a result, Amorim has been cautious in setting expectations while the squad adapts to a new tactical approach.

However, Amorim has made it clear that one non-negotiable aspect is the level of effort put in by his players, warning them that they must “run like mad dogs” if they want to achieve success. “I think the way we sprint back, the way we sprint forward, the way we fight, we have to be very clear with the team, this is the first point we have to address then the tactical and technical aspects come later,” Amorim explained.

The Portuguese manager noted that while his players are making an effort, there is still significant room for improvement. Amorim stressed the importance of a strong mentality when it comes to the team’s work rate on the pitch. “What I see is that they’re making an effort and there’s a lot of room to improve. Changing that thing you can sometimes say is simple because it’s just running but it’s something in the head of the players. If you want to win we have to do it. Even with the best starting XI on the planet without running they will not win anything, that is very clear. If we want to win the Premier League we have to run like mad dogs. If not, we are not going to.”

As Manchester United prepares to face Nottingham Forest on Saturday, a team that was playing in the Championship as recently as 2022 and currently sits six points ahead of United in the table, Amorim’s focus remains on instilling a strong work ethic and intensity within his squad to help them navigate the challenging road ahead.