There's something special one has to have when they become the manager of United. It's not just about the football or winning trophies but you need something more.

As the MUFC boss, you will face countless challenges across your tenure in the hot seat, however long that lasts.

I feel that all of our previous managers didn't check all these boxes down below and was part of the reason as to what led to their eventual sack. These managers' failings is something that Ruben Amorim can look at to try and improve upon their faults.

The criteria that I thought about were:

• Character
• Pedigree
• Style of Play
• Authoritative
• No Favoritism
• Brilliant with the press
• Stick to principles

If you would like to read more about these criteria, I spoke more in-depth about each of them here. Give me your thoughts on what you think about them and if there is anything you would add.

So, does Amorim have what it takes to be United boss?

‍

Character

Yes, he does have a great character. It's something that I really admire about him.

I like my manager to be a bit of a character IYKWIM. I like it when they make their jokes and have some fun both with the players and fans, and to an extent, the media.

I find that the way Amorim carries himself is something that I like as well. He seems to have this casual strength about him in that he can be a little fun, can be your best friend, but can also rip into you if you do something wrong.

‍

I feel like he will also be one of those managers that shows his passion on the sidelines, something else that I like to see of my manager.

Erik ten Hag seriously lacked in character as he was a lot more stern and boring with the occasional bursts of craziness. He also didn't show that lighter side enough.

This lack of a character and personality was part of the reason I think there was a bit of a breakdown in the relationship between him and some of the players. He had the bluntness but without that real human understanding.

This is what it looked like from the outside in at least.

Amorim doesn't give off this vibe as he will know exactly how to act at various moments rather than be the same all the time.

‍

Pedigree

‍

While he hasn't been around for a long time as a manager, Ruben Amorim certainly has that pedigree in terms of being a winning manager.

The 39-year-old took Sporting Lisbon to their first league title in 20 years after they lifted the Portuguese league in 20/21. He went on to win the league last season and win 3 Portuguese league cups with Sporting and Braga.

This shows that he is more than capable of getting his teams to win the big trophies. With him being a manager who wins things and United having a taste of lifting trophies in recent years, this could be a match made in heaven.

‍

The fact that Amorim has these title wins and trophies to his name makes me feel a lot more confident with him as manager. I don't like when my manager hasn't done anything before.

When looking at all our permanent managers after Sir Alex Ferguson retired, the two who hadn't won trophies as coaches were David Moyes and Ole Gunnar solskjaer. They never won anything at United.

The other three (Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Erik ten Hag) were all winners in their previous managerial jobs. They all won things at United.

This is why it's important to have a history of winning trophies.

‍

Style of Play

It is very different to what we've seen before. In fact, we've never seen this system (3-4-3) implemented at United. We've also used 4-2-3-1 for pretty much the last decade.

There's been very little variety.

Whether you like three at the back or not, one cannot deny the success it's brought Ruben Amorim. As mentioned, he won the title twice at Sporting but more than that, they did it in a way that was entertaining and watchable.

The type of football we've played over the years hasn't been great or successful. We've had one or the other but not both. United have always been known as a club who play entertaining and exciting football while also winning trophies.

Erik ten Hag's football was very flat and boring often relying on moments to get us wins. There was very little identity to our style and we just sort of moved through the motions rather than have anything distinct.

With Amorim ball, we know what we're going to get having seen what he did at Sporting. I like to know what we are as a team and how we're going to play. Often with ten Hag, we didn't know what we were going to get.

‍

I also think it's about time we saw good consistent football at Old Trafford. The last decade has not been easy on the eye even if it did bring trophies. Solskjaer probably played the most entertaining football but that was very counter attacking and transitional. That's not really how United should be playing. He also never won anything.

van Gaal, Mourinho and ten Hag's football did bring some success but it was a very hard watch a lot of the time.

However, with Amorim ball, he does need certain type of players. No point getting excited by his style only for it to go the way of his predecessors. ten Hag ball at Ajax was beautiful as well. Look how at what happened at United.

‍

Authoritative

Amorim maybe a lot of smiles but behind that jolly exterior, I feel that he can be very ruthless. We need that.

It's important for him to let the players know that he is the boss. He could be a sort of friend to them at times but they need to know who is the chief. He has to stamp that authority from day one.

‍

When things get tough, we need Amorim to be tougher. We also need him to lay into the players whenever necessary. Erik ten Hag could be ruthless at times but I'm not sure whether he was as often as he needed to be. Solskjaer was the complete opposite as he was too nice most of the time. This allowed the players to get what the wanted and pretty much rule the dressing room.

That cannot be the case with Amorim as he needs to show who is boss and someone who takes no shit to a point where he will punish the players for doing something wrong. They cannot be getting away with errors week in, week out. He has to let them have it in these situations.

‍

No Favoritism

Again, this is one thing that was a major problem with Erik ten Hag. He had his favorites to a point where regardless of how they performed, would always be picked and never be substituted.

This led to a lot of frustration and confusion as to why he would keep playing them despite regular poor performances and being detrimental to the team. He also had replacements for them yet refused to use them over his favorites.

‍

Ruben Amorim cannot do this. I'm not saying that he shouldn't have his favorites because I think all managers do, but rather, don't refuse to take them off or drop them when they don't perform.

Everyone deserves a chance especially when you have those who play shite quite a lot.

I'm not entirely sure whether Amorim is the type who will play his favorites all the time or whether he will drop them when necessary.

We'll have to wait and find out.

‍

Brilliant with the press

‍

The English media can be like hounds. This is something we all know. But they can be even worse towards those they don't like.

I felt that they never really got on with Erik ten Hag and didn't like him from the get go. This required him to be a lot stronger and firmer during press conferences and interviews.

However, he failed to do this and more often than not, I believe that the media was in control rather than the other way round.

‍

Another problem with ten Hag was that he couldn't speak English that well. I know that it isn't his mother tongue but as he was in England, he surely had to try and improve.

His grasp on the language was very basic and I felt that communication not just with the media but also to us fans was a little unclear. It was probably the same when it came to talking to the players.

‍

What I like about Amorim is that he does seem to have more of a control over the media than they do him. He looks to be the guy in charge rather than the other way round.

His handling of the journalist who wanted him to speak in English was superb and won him more points with me. That is something that we never really saw with ten Hag.

The new boss also looks very relaxed in press conferences and while I know that that was in Portugal and England can be a lot harsher, I have a feeling he will continue to conduct his pressers and interviews in the same relaxed but confident manner.

‍

His hold on the English language is also very good and much better than ten Hag's. This allows him to communicate better with everyone rather than have some miscommunication.

This is obviously really important when it comes to getting his messages across.

‍

Stick to Principles

This is a big one for me.

He HAS to stick to his principles. He HAS to.

The whole reason he was brought him in was obviously because the club (and the world) saw how brilliant his previous team played and wanted that at United.

If he has to change his ideals to suit the players then we may as well have kept ten Hag. The Dutchman changed his principles pretty early on and never tried to implement them again.

I want Amorim to do what he did at Sporting at United. Whether he succeeds or fails, he must stick with what he knows and what has worked for him in the past.

‍

This was one thing that really disappointed me with ten Hag. I didn't like that he didn't implement his 4-3-3 and ten Hag ball style of play at United simply because he didn't have the players.

If the players are good enough, they will be able to adapt to the manager's style. If not, then the club have to try and move them on.

Amorim said that his Sporting fans clapped them off the field after they lost 5-0 to City in the Champions League a few years ago because those fans saw what he was trying to do with the team. It would've been very easy for him to change style because of such a hammering but he stuck to it. It was a system that required repetition and before long, they were playing great football and winning the league.

This is an example of why he should just continue with his plan no matter what.

3-4-3 is Amorim ball. We want to see that at Old Trafford.

‍

Final Thoughts

There are some criteria that we will have to wait and see whether he ticks them but for the majority, Amorim looks perfect for the role of Man Utd manager.

There is an air of Mourinho with him and hopefully like Jose, he brings success to United.

Do you think that Ruben Amorim ticks all these criteria and is him? Or are there some criteria where he may fall short?

‍

Background Image: Ruben Amorim | Image via Manchester United official X (@ManUtd)