After recent conversations with Nani, Rio Ferdinand believes that Ruben Amorim’s charisma and strong personality will set him apart from Erik ten Hag as Manchester United begin a new chapter under the former Sporting Lisbon coach. The ex-Red Devils defender has put it upon himself to talk to those who have worked around and under the new boss in order to get a feeling of what to expect ahead of his arrival on November 11.
It’s safe to say the TNT Sports pundit hasn’t been let down in such a thankless task, either. Nani, while having missed out on the opportunity to play under Amorim at Sporting, shared the pitch with him for the Portugal national team. He has also watched Sporting closely over the years, and has grown an admirer of his former teammate, while this positivity quickly rubbed off onto Ferdinand.
“I spoke to Nani actually the other day, and he said: ‘Rio, whatever you want to talk about, tactics or whatever, the players play for him, they love him, and they respect him’” Ferdinand said in a video posted on X.
“One of the issues I think with Erik ten Hag and what he [Nani] said about Amorim is he’s very straight, very straight and very direct.
“From what I’m hearing, I’m talking to people that have played for [him] but also been around [him] as a human, I think the character and the charisma compared to Erik ten Hag will be the big differentiator, will be the big difference.”
Amorim recently became United’s sixth full-time manager since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, but perhaps nobody during that solemn timeframe has come with a CV as shiny as his. The 39-year-old began his coaching career with Casa Pia, where he had a brief stint during the 2018/19 season before he joined SC Braga and guided them to the Portuguese League Cup in his debut campaign.
After only a season with Braga, Sporting appointed him as their manager that same year. Amorim then ended the Lions’ 19-year wait, winning their first league title and began to make a name for himself in Portugal. In his four years at Estadio Jose Alvalade, Amorim has won two league titles with Sporting, three cups and one Super Cup. The success in his homeland did not go unnoticed by clubs abroad, and the likes of West Ham, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City have previously been linked with the Portuguese helmsman.