‘He is a magician’: how Ruben Amorim overcame his first crisis at Casa Pia

The Manchester United manager began his coaching career with a club in turmoil whose players cried when he left

Ruben Amorim’s players were in tears and, no, it wasn’t because he had labelled them the worst team in the club’s history, nor had he smashed any televisions, as he is reported to have done last weekend following Manchester United’s defeat by Brighton. And yet Amorim’s current troubles are simply a magnified version of his first steps into coaching at Casa Pia, the Portuguese third-tier team he took charge of aged 33.

Amorim’s future was in doubt, his tactics were questioned, he was losing games: it all seems familiar. And yet he survived, which is not to say this is how it will end at United. In this chapter of his career, a portrait of a remarkable young coach with unusual empathy does emerge. Marcus Rashford might raise an arched eyebrow at that but perhaps he should stick around to discover the real Ruben. Amorim is likely to be a force in European coaching as long as the horror show of United’s chaotic ownership doesn’t drag him into a vortex of failure.

Topics

Ruben Amorim's Manchester United are enduring a roller-coaster season

Manchester United's dramatic 2-1 win over Rangers in the Europa League highlighted the ups and downs that head coach Ruben Amorim is dealing with.
ESPN - 13h
Manchester United’s late winner ‘truly needed’, admits Ruben Amorim

Fernandes stoppage-time strike sinks Rangers Manager tight-lipped over Garnacho’s future Ruben Amorim admitted Manchester United’s stoppage-time 2-1 Europa League win over Rangers was “truly ...
The Guardian - 1d
Ruben Amorim regrets claim team may be Manchester United’s worst ever

Coach says talking to squad post-game also a mistake Increased police presence for tie at home to Rangers Ruben Amorim regrets saying his Manchester United team may be the worst in the club’s ...
The Guardian - 2d
Ruben Amorim ‘smashed dressing room television’ in rant after Brighton defeat

Manchester United manager was furious with squad Brighton defeat was a fourth in five home league games Ruben Amorim reportedly smashed a television in the Old Trafford dressing room in a ...
The Guardian - 3d
Ruben Amorim says team worst ‘maybe in the history of Manchester United’

Manager admits United players are nervous Amorim says Rashford’s omission is ‘his choice’ Ruben Amorim branded his team as the worst “maybe in the history of Manchester United” after a 3-1 ...
The Guardian - 5d
Manuel Ugarte primed to suffer in Ruben Amorim’s unrelenting graft

The reunion at Manchester United with his former Sporting coach is prospering despite the odd setback. It is always a relief in a new job to see a familiar face and it was no different for Ruben ...
The Guardian - 6d
Ruben Amorim shapes up as Manchester United’s fall guy but rot runs deeper | Jonathan Wilson

Unbending coach takes his side to Liverpool on Sunday, with attempts to kick club on undermined by a decade of misrule. The thought had always been that it couldn’t happen now. It’s just not ...
The Guardian - Jan. 4
Harry Maguire earns extra year but Ruben Amorim demands leadership

Manchester United manager ‘happy’ to trigger extension He wants senior players to help team ‘starving for leaders’ Ruben Amorim has said Harry Maguire’s one-year option will be triggered ...
The Guardian - Jan. 3

More from The Guardian

Hamas names four female Israeli soldiers it will release from Gaza this weekend

Final female Israeli civilian held in Gaza not on list of names supplied by Hamas for next exchange. Hamas has published the names of four female Israeli soldiers being held captive in Gaza who it ...
The Guardian - 8h
Putin ‘ready for negotiations’ with Trump on Ukraine war

Russian president strikes noticeably favourable tone, downplaying Trump’s economic threats. Vladimir Putin has said he is ready to discuss the war in Ukraine with Donald Trump and suggested it ...
The Guardian - 8h
US orders halt to virtually all foreign aid except for Israel and Egypt

Internal memo to US state department staff explicitly makes exceptions for military assistance to Israel and Egypt. The secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has ordered a halt to virtually all US ...
The Guardian - 2h
World’s largest iceberg drifts threateningly toward remote island of penguins and seals

Gigantic wall of ice moves slowly from Antarctica on potential collision course with wildlife breeding ground. The world’s largest iceberg – a behemoth more than twice the size of London – is ...
The Guardian - 8h
Woman charged after death of US patrol agent in gunfight near Canadian border

Teresa Youngblut, 21, charged with weapons crimes over highway shootout in which German man also died. A Washington state woman has been charged in the fatal shooting of a US border patrol agent ...
The Guardian - 2h