MANCHESTER, England: Ruben Amorim admits he has had to go through a process of adapting to the demands of the English Premier League (EPL) in his first year as Manchester United head coach.
The Portuguese coach arrived at Old Trafford in November 2024 and when Everton visit early next Tuesday morning, it will mark a year since his debut which ended in a 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town.
Managing a club as big as United has a profound impact on anyone and Amorim is no exception.
“I think I’ve changed a lot as a coach,” the 40-year-old said in an interview with Premier League Productions . “I see a lot of things differently.
“I have an idea of how to play, how to shape the game and I’ve changed that.”
The change has been evident since the arrival of Senne Lammens, when the new goalkeeper was given the freedom to make long passes when the situation required.
“Here, in the EPL, the focus is very much on data,” Amorim explained. “So you have to adapt the way you work.
“Of course you have your own style of play, but you have to adapt, understand when you need more possession, how we win corners to put pressure on the opponent, all that stuff.”
According to him, adjusting to the intensity of the EPL not only involves tactics, but also the off-field demands that come with the responsibility of managing a club with a global following as big as United.
“Last year, I felt constantly overwhelmed by the number of matches,” admitted Amorim. “I didn’t have time to calm down or realize my job not only on the field, but also off the field to motivate everyone.
“Last year I was too emotional because I was struggling with decisions. I always say change takes time, but I am the one responsible for managing everything and controlling my emotions better.”
United have also faced an unbalanced playing style this season, scoring the most goals in the first half (11), but also conceding the most in the second half (14). Amorim explained the reason.
“I think we lost intensity,” he said. “In a few games, we lost Casemiro to injury. Harry Maguire too.
“They are important players, not only in terms of play but also experience and dead ball situations, things that many people don’t pay attention to.
“We also lost momentum when we were ahead. We started thinking ‘don’t concede’, when the thinking should have been ‘we already have one goal, get another to end the match’.
“So it’s a mental thing but also a physical thing. We need to improve both.”