As Manchester United fans prepare to welcome a talented and highly qualified educator from outside Europe’s ‘big five’ leagues who has analysts swooning, they are also concerned that this all sounds a bit common.
But with Ruben Amorim they can ensure that in a very strong team he is nothing like Erik ten Hag.
The defining complaint about the sacked Dutchman was that for the next two seasons the football remained shapeless and the tactical direction indecipherable.
Amorim, who is willing to lose Portuguese champions Carrying to advance to Used Trafford, is nothing if not a diligent and decisive tactical philosopher.
From a tough press to proactively owned football, from a bold main sequence to a complexly changing 3-4-3 formation, the characteristics of Amorim football can be etched into muscle memory in vivid training sessions.
And there may be legitimate considerations. The best part might be how a Manchester United team incorporating the Ten Hag symbol will approach the change to a back 3 and a tactical system totally at odds with what came before. It won’t go well for everyone.
With United posting a net loss of £113m for 2023-24, a £15m repayment bill for sacking Ten Hag and the payment of at least £8m to trigger Amorim’s release clause, added to the £200m spent on summer transfers, Portuguese no longer likely to have plenty of funds for January signings.
