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Incoming Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has branded the past seven days as the “worst and best week of my life” following confirmation that he is set to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag.
On Friday, United released a statement relaying Amorim’s appointment as the next club boss.
He will officially take charge of the team on November 11, after Sporting Lisbon’s clashes against Manchester City and Braga on Tuesday and Sunday respectively.
Ahead of his side’s meeting with City, Amorim spoke to TNT Sports. When asked how his week has been, he replied, “Very tough. The worst and best week of my life. I don’t have another way to explain [it]. Very tough because I’m leaving a very good place, but I’m going to one of the best clubs in the world. So it’s been very tough, but it is what it is.”
On the importance of the game vs. City, he said, “For me, it’s another game as Sporting coach and I will be judged as a Sporting coach.”
“It’s a massive game. For me, he’s [Pep Guardiola] the best coach in the world…I know that’s tough for Man United fans and I think they [Man City] are the best team in the world, so it’s going to be a tough game. We are near the qualifications for play-offs, so this game is very important. It’s my last game at Alvalade, so that is my focus.”
“I know everyone in England is looking and taking ideas from this game but for me, it’s just that…Sporting coach, my last game here, so that’s my focus.”
When asked if he’s an emotional person, the 39-year-old remarked, “I’m emotional but not in this part. I know because I was a player and I know in our life we have to leave, to go, change our environment quite often.”
“But I’m very emotional in my relationship with the players and staff. So I have a connection with them. That part will be tough, but the other part – the last game, everybody’s looking at me. In the end that part is not special for me. For me, it’s the relationship with the players and in that part I’m very emotional. The part of leaving and going to another place is the life of a player and a coach.”
On whether he is looking forward to more battles with the likes of Guardiola, Amorim insisted, “It’s tough to say that. It’s very challenging. In England all the best coaches are there, all the best teams. it’s going to be a different world, because in Portugal you have the three big teams and then a lot of weeks tough games, but you control the games.”
“There is a different world, I need that as a coach now. To say I’m looking for a challenge like that every week, maybe not.”
While Amorim is heading to United, Sporting’s director of football Hugo Viana is joining City.
According to Amorim, he will remain friends with Viana but United are his club and his aim is to try and improve the Red Devils. The 39-year-old explained that Viana will find it hard to improve City as they currently have their house in order.
Sporting vs. City kicks off at 20:00 BST and it’s certainly one a number of United fans will be keeping close tabs on.
Featured Image Gualter Fatia via Getty Images
