If I had two words to describe Amorim in his first press conference as United’s new head coach it would be confident and charismatic. The difference in his communications skills to Erik ten Hag were evident from the moment he opened his mouth.
“I am a little bit a dreamer and I believe in myself and I believe in the club,” he said. Amorim held the room, captivated it even. It is going to take a lot more than words to turn United around but this was a persuasive, commanding first appearance from the Portuguese.
Take his answer, for example, when asked where he felt United could improve in the short term, where the quick wins were. “If you want to speak about the team we lose the ball too often and have to keep the ball,” Amorim said, doubtless to universal agreement from United fans everywhere.
But it was his next answer that underlined his ability as a communicator. “We have to be better running back, I think that’s clear for everyone,” Amorim said, with a chuckle and a wide smile as he invited the room to nod along in approval. They did.
He was clever, too – he managed to give the players his steadfast backing and show them he will protect them when others do not at the same time as throwing down a challenge to them. “I know you guys don’t believe in these players but I do – you guys think it’s not possible, i think it’s possible,” he said. “I believe in them, they are open to different things, hard work and they have to and until they prove me wrong I believe in them.” Note the “until they prove me wrong” caveat. In other words, you will get your chance – now take it.
Perhaps most significantly, Amorim said there would be no wavering on his style of play, his identity. United have been a muddled mess for a decade and Amorim was clear they if a coach does not believe in a clear system or is unsure what it should be, the players will pick up on it.
“As a coach you have to choose one way or another, I choose always 100 percent our way,” he said. “I choose to risk a bit. If I believe so much in our way of playing, they will believe too. There is no second way.”