Ruben Amorim and 1 year at MU: After doubt comes hope

Coach Ruben Amorim has had a year leading MU, with not so positive statistics but a light of hope is appearing.

A Year of the Amorim

A year has passed since Ruben Amorim arrived at Old Trafford, bringing with him both expectations and worries.

He was believed to be a breath of fresh air for a tired team, the end of a long patchwork period following Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ruben Amorim celebrates one year leading MU. Photo: MUFC

But the Premier League, being so harsh and turbulent, quickly reminded Amorim that beautiful tactical theory is not enough to survive the stormy waters of English football.

United started the campaign under Amorim with idealistic excitement. A young coach, a clear philosophy, Portuguese discipline, and modern-sounding numbers on pressing and space control.

Within a few months, things were out of sync: the triangular passing of the 3-4-3 was suffocated by the relentless pressure of Premier League teams; the goalkeeper's build-up play became unnecessarily risky.

In the dressing room, which was never peaceful, there were murmurs of stiffness.

Last Christmas was a nightmare: 4 consecutive defeats (3 Premier League matches; League Cup quarter-finals), goal after goal, Old Trafford became a place of sadness.

The press called Amorim another failed experiment, fans called for a return to safer play, and some even mentioned the interim coach's name as a warning.

The difference is that the United board did not panic. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his associates maintained that Amorim was not just hired to win a few games, but to lay the foundations for a new model where the Red Devils learned to play modern football, not just live on memories.

From Anfield to Ferguson's memories

In the fragile light of that belief, an explosive moment appeared on the occasion of Ruben Amorim's first anniversary leading MU : victory right at Anfield.

MU won the last 3 matches. Photo: MUFC

After nearly a decade, MU silenced the red stands of Merseyside. Amorim celebrated the victory, as if knowing that the result not only helped his team gain 3 points, but also temporarily affirmed that the path he took was not necessarily wrong.

His team played with spirit, pressing strongly, attacking with ideas and courage, what people used to see at Sporting Lisbon.

The win over Liverpool brought back memories of spring 1990. In the FA Cup semi-final replay against Oldham Athletic , defeat would see Alex Ferguson sacked because of the crisis in the First Division.

Mark Robins became the hero with the decisive goal in the 114th minute to make it 2-1. Ferguson not only kept his job, but also opened a brilliant cycle for the next 23 years.

Back to Amorim, the recent string of successes cannot hide all the rough spots. MU is still fragile, still prone to collapse when lacking some pillars. The 3-4-3 frame is sometimes like a steel mold, stiffening the creativity of the attacking players.

Many experts believe he should be more pragmatic, a little uglier, because English football is not a land for tactical purity.

But perhaps it is this very tenacity that sets Amorim apart. He is trying to rebuild from the ground up, not just patch up the top.

Over the past year, Amorim's MU has looked like a building under construction: the steel frame is there, but the paint is still rough, and the walls are still covered with lime stains.

Victory over Liverpool could be a turning point for Amorim's MU. Photo: MUFC

Fans want to see results, but he and Sir Ratcliffe know that process takes time, as Arteta endured at Arsenal and now stands a chance to reap the rewards.

In that chaotic picture, the positive thing is that he still kept the dressing room, still made the players believe in his football, and still sowed some hope in the stands that were used to disappointment.

Amorim may not have been a success, but United seem to be on the right track for the first time in years.

In an era where everything is measured by immediate results, Amorim's year can serve as a reminder that reviving an empire cannot be rushed.

Sometimes it takes a long winter to make an old tree green again. Amorim, despite being doubted, is replanting the seeds of that belief at Old Trafford.

This weekend, if they beat Nottingham Forest away (10pm on November 1) , it will be a big step towards a bright future.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/mot-nam-ruben-amorim-dan-mu-sang-len-tia-hy-vong-2458058.html