At most football clubs in England, winning the League Cup one year, followed by the FA Cup the following year, would be enough to keep you in a job. It would be sufficient at some clubs to turn you into a club legend. Most clubs, however, are not Manchester United. While the likes of Newcastle United or Tottenham Hotspur would have worshipped the ground that Dutch coach Erik Ten Hag walked on if he had given them two trophies in two years, Manchester United have instead shown him the door and replaced him with Ruben Amorim. That, by anyone’s definition, is an enormous gamble.
There’s always an element of risk in sacking a manager at a football club. However, you would at least have the benefit of sites like sistersite to use as a form guide to help you if you were considering trying your luck at an online casino. No such form guide exists for football management.
Ten Hag's results at Ajax suggested he would be an excellent pick for the Red Devils, but they meant nothing in the end. Amorim's results at Sporting Lisbon have also been impressive. Still, there's no reason to put more stock in the Portuguese league than the Dutch league when judging whether or not a coach is likely to succeed in the Premier League, where the quality is higher and the spotlight is brighter. Amorim has excellent references, but will he be the coach to turn the misfiring Mancunians around?
United’s Dutch Disaster
You’ll find very few Manchester United fans who don’t think that sacking Ten Hag was the right move. Nobody could ever doubt the Dutchman’s work ethic, but a lack of charisma and passion in his demeanor was evident right from the start. There was also a stubbornness in the manager - a refusal to accept blame when things went wrong, hints of an ego when things were going right, and a tendency to blame injuries or almost anything other than himself when the worst of United’s disastrous results during his tenure occurred. Trophies or not, it was time for Ten Hag to go.
Suppose anything symbolizes the mistakes of the Erik Ten Hag era at Manchester United. In that case, it’s the enormous sum of money spent on Brazilian winger Anthony - a player who’s already considered surplus to requirements at the club barely two years after his arrival. Antony had performed well for Ten Hag at Ajax but never looked like a convincing option in the Premier League - he’s too wasteful, shot-shy, and easily parted from the ball by opposition defenders. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer turned down the chance to sign Antony for a reported £30m during his reign as United boss, believing the winger didn’t have the tools to succeed at Old Trafford. Ten Hag pushed the board to sign him twelve months later for a staggering £86m. When Antony leaves, United won’t recoup even half of that outlay.
Lobbying hard and overpaying for Antony was the worst of Ten Hag’s transfer woes, but it was far from the only one. Across the board, he tended to recruit players he knew from the Dutch league, seemingly unwilling or unable to recognize that they couldn’t step up to the Premier League. Alienating Jadon Sancho, who’d been brought in at great expense, was a failure of man management. In the end, Ten Hag was simply out of his depth. He’s left his successor with a below-par, unbalanced squad. It’s going to take time to fix that problem.
Enter the Portuguese Maestro
Although Ruben Amorim wasn't a household name in England before being appointed at Manchester United, he was already highly rated in football circles. There was even talk that Manchester City viewed him as a long-term replacement for Pep Guardiola when the legendary coach finally decided to move on from the Etihad. In the end, he arrived on the other side of Manchester. Will he come to regret that decision?
Recently, Manchester United has established a tradition of looking to mercurial Portuguese talent for inspiration. Cristiano Ronaldo was the first, but the tradition has been continued by current team captain Bruno Fernandes - a lifelong Sporting Lisbon fan. Fernandes, whose quality and consistency have been one of the few positives for Manchester United fans in the past couple of seasons, says he's watched Sporting under Amorim a lot. He's excited to train under him. He won't be the only one, but the issue for Amorim and Fernandes is unlikely to be training - it'll be about systems.
A Matter of Tactics
Under Ten Hag, it was often said that Manchester United didn’t have an identity, lacking a visible system or philosophy on the pitch. Amorim’s United won’t have that problem. The coach is famous for rigidly sticking to his preferred 3-4-3 system (or variants) regardless of opponent or occasion. It’s worked well for Sporting, but it’s hard to see how the system could work with the squad he’s inherited at United. The system, by definition, required three quality forwards. It’s difficult to argue that United even has one.
Marcus Rashford's 30-goal haul in the 2022/2023 season was, as is now very apparent, a one-off. He's unlikely to reach those numbers again. Rasmus Hojlund's habit of getting injured every other month has thus far masked the fact that he's not a world-class striker, with his prolonged absences meaning that by the time he comes back from his latest layoff, fans and pundits have primarily forgotten that he's not outstanding. The less said about Joshua Zirkee, the better - there are rumors that not even Ten Hag wanted the Dutch striker, and the board forced the signing on him.
For Amorim to succeed, he needs players that suit his system. They’re unlikely to arrive until the summer transfer window. That means another season of transition for the football club - and another season of frustration for its increasingly long-suffering supporters.
___
Sports Team History is your ultimate destination to explore the rich heritage and iconic logos of professional sports teams across MLB, MLS, NBA, NCAA, NFL, NHL, Premier League, WNBA, UFL, XFL, ABA, AAF, and USFL. Immerse yourself in the captivating tales and memorable moments that have shaped each team's legacy.
But that's not all! At Sports Team History, we believe in celebrating the exceptional talents that have graced the sports world. That's why we're thrilled to announce our upcoming "Greatest Player Poll" where fans like you can cast your votes and have your say in determining the greatest players of all time in various sports.
Our partner site, Sports Logo History, offers a vibrant community of logo enthusiasts who appreciate the evolution of team visual identities. Dive into detailed analysis and discussions surrounding logos representing the teams we love. Stay updated with Sports News History, providing 24/7 sports news coverage to keep you informed and engaged with the latest developments. Lastly, explore the premier sports team marketplace at Sports Store History, where you'll find a wide selection of jerseys, caps, and collectibles to showcase your team spirit. Embark on a journey through time, celebrate team logos, stay informed with the latest news, and discover unique sports memorabilia to enhance your collection. Let Sports Team History fuel your passion for sports.