New Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has pledged to adopt a dual approach at Old Trafford, becoming the club’s cheerful but uncompromising leader.
The promising 39-year-old suggested a touch of Jose Mourinho’s infamous charisma upon his own arrival by labelling himself the Smiling One, as opposed to Mourinho’s Special One moniker.
However, despite his genial outlook, Amorim is ready to put his foot down with the Red Devils’ superstars should their performances not meet expectations.
Ahead of Sunday’s curtain-raiser against Ipswich Town, Amorim pulled no punches in setting out his philosophy.
He said: “You can be a positive person who understands that there are some places to have fun and some places to work hard.
“So I can be ruthless when I have to be. But, if you think as a team, I will be the nicest guy you have seen.
“I’m not someone who thinks to himself ‘I will be a different person’ and I’m not the kind of guy who wants to show he’s the boss.
“I think they [the players] will feel it in the small details – that I can be the smiling one – but when we have a job to do, I will be a different person. And they understand that.”
Amorim arrives at United before the backdrop of Erik ten Hag’s recent comparative shortcomings and a hefty transfer budget implication.
And the former Sporting kingpin knows expectations are high and that time is of the essence, as evidenced by his relatively short two-and-a-half-year contract.
His first test awaits against Ipswich at Portman Road, helmed by Kieran McKenna, who will know many of United’s players from his spell as an assistant under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Amorim has made it clear that he will be the one calling the shots in the transfer market, although he’s been briefed by the club that there might be a tight budget.
Amid concerns about United’s potential limitations in the market, the new gaffer has vowed to uphold the club’s storied tradition of nurturing homegrown talent.
“It [young players] is the project of Manchester United. Nowadays, you need young guys, guys from the academy to bring that history of the club,” Amorim explained.
“They feel the club in a different way but also because you have all these rules with financial fair play.
“A player from our academy is so different to the players we buy or sell. Everything is connected, so I will try to help all the players – and especially the young ones.”
