Lot to do before Amorim’s ideas take shape at United
Hindustan TimesThank you,” wrote Ruben Amorim on X, the post accompanied by a heart sign and a photograph of Ruud van Nistelrooy looking satisfied. Erik ten Hag was given an extension by the same regime – a decision that was football’s equivalent of falling upwards – but the Dutchman had been appointed before Jim Ratcliffe became a minority owner, David Brailsford a director, Omar Berrada, poached from Manchester City, chief executive and Dan Ashworth sporting director after being lured from Newcastle. But as has been seen with Louis van Gaal, appointed after his third-place finish in the 2014 World Cup, and Erik Ten Hag, whose Ajax were seconds from a Champions League final, what works with one team may not at Manchester United. At his final press conference as Sporting CP coach, Amorim said: “We don’t have a lot of time to train so I have to show something that I already know very well.” It was as broad a hint as any that he will try to implement the 3-4-3 formation that worked so well for him in Portugal. Ten Hag once used Noussair Mazraoui as No.10 and he has been one of United’s consistent players but the Moroccan is a full back.