Ruben Amorim revealed he came close to stepping down from his managerial role due to mounting pressures, highlighting the immense challenges that come with managing at a high level—an experience that mirrors the difficulties currently faced by the Manchester United manager.

Ruben Amorim nearly quit his first managerial job after a tough start, similar to his early struggles at Manchester United, before a tactical shift to a back-three formation turned things around. Amorim, appointed by United in November to replace Erik ten Hag, left his successful Sporting CP tenure mid-season but has faced significant challenges at Old Trafford, including five losses in the past month.

The Portuguese coach admitted the United role has been “more complicated” than anticipated, but club leadership plans to give him time to implement his signature 3-4-2-1 system. While the formation has shown potential, it is still a work in progress compared to the fluid style Amorim achieved at Sporting, where he led the team to their first league title in 19 years and another last season.

Amorim’s managerial journey began at third-tier Casa Pia in 2018, where a poor start almost ended his career. Guillem Balague recounted that after losing two games, Amorim vowed to quit if he lost a third. Instead, he switched to a back-three formation, leading to an unbeaten run and laying the foundation for his future success.

Now at United, Amorim remains committed to his football philosophy, despite comparisons to Wolves’ new boss Vitor Pereira, who has seen quick success. After a Boxing Day loss to Wolves, Amorim defended his approach, insisting the team must improve while maintaining their iden

tity.