Man City icon warns Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim of ‘obstacles’ he faces | Football | Sport
Ruben Amorim must overcome the fact that he is unexposed to English football and instil a winning mentality at Manchester United, says Sergio Aguero. The 39-year-old will take to a Premier League dugout for the first time this weekend as his Red Devils travel to Ipswich Town, and while Erik ten Hag didn’t exactly leave substantial boots to be filled, the pressure to get up and running is on.
Fixtures will come thick, fast, and difficult, too, with Arsenal and Manchester City both to be played before Christmas. Therefore, the need to install said winning mentality that won Amorim a pair of league titles in Portugal at Old Trafford must be done swiftly.
Aguero, an iconic figure for rivals Manchester City, has now warned the Portuguese that he must tackle the obstacles he faces – this being his English top-flight bow at a club that has eaten up and spat managers out as of late – head-on, with an already stellar squad and passionate mindset.
“Ruben Amorim is arriving with a very good record; he has done a great job for his last team,” Aguero told Stake. “Now, he has a challenge that many managers have failed to deliver, infusing United with the identity that its supporters have grown accustomed to.
“On top of that, it’s Ruben’s first season in England. Those are the obstacles that he’ll need to tackle. That being said, he is a young, passionate manager and he has a team of great players to help him overcome those challenges.”
Amorim has revealed his shock at the stature of the club he now manages, but that doesn’t mean such an attitude on the back of a big upward leap should be mistaken for ignorance.
“The first impression is that it’s so big, with a lot of departments,” Amorim told Sky Sports. “I came from a big club in a small country. Here is a different world. You have a lot to do. You are not just a coach. You have to be something more.
“So it’s a little bit different, but I think I’m prepared for that. And it’s Manchester United. It doesn’t matter the last years. We will have really hard moments, but in the end, I truly believe that we are going to succeed.”
Tackling a question about the managerial conveyor belt installed at Old Trafford since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson, Amorim admitted that he understands the expectations held by fans and that time will be needed for his system to bear fruit.
“I know that at this moment our fans are with mixed feelings – I want to be excited, but I have been here so I’m a little bit afraid,” Amorim concluded. “It’s the same story all the time. I can be disappointed. So, what I can say is that I’m really excited. I’m not afraid to show it. But I have a clear idea that this will take time.”
