New Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim apologised to Sporting for leaving mid-season and admitted he is under no illusions as to how difficult the job will be at Old Trafford.
The 39-year-old signed off at Sporting Lisbon with a 4-2 victory over former club Braga after bouncing back from 2-0 down. He is set to arrive in England on Monday, although he is still waiting for his work permit to be processed.
It means the Portuguese cannot officially start at Old Trafford until he is issued with a visa, which has been the process since the United Kingdom left the European Union.
But, having brought his four-year stay at Sporting to an end, Amorim has already moved on to the test which lies ahead, although he insists taking charge at one of the world’s biggest clubs will not change him or his style.
“I won’t become a different person. I know I’ll be fine. Whether it’s three months or 10 years, I know I’ll be fine. I’m fully aware of what’s important in life,” he told Sport TV.
“Whatever comes, will come. I really want to win. I’ll be in a better mood if I win, more upset if I lose. I certainly won’t lose my essence, I’d sooner lose my coaching career. It’s going to be difficult, I’m not under any illusions. But it’s what it has to be.”
In his post-match press conference, Amorim added: “I feel ready for the new challenge. I’m not naive, I know it’s going to be very different, very difficult.
I’m not naive, I know it’s going to be very different, very difficult
Ruben Amorim on taking over at Manchester United
“I’m at peace now, I can focus on my new job and I’m looking forward to starting tomorrow. I know it will be difficult to reproduce what I have here anywhere else, but there are other places with different exposure and pressure.”
Amorim apologised to Sporting fans for leaving them now with the team six points clear at the top of the table.
“I’m sorry for this decision in the middle of the season but I felt it was my time and my path. I need to be fully committed,” he added.
Considering United’s difficulties, particularly up front where they have scored just 12 goals in 11 league matches, Amorim was asked whether he would be looking to sign Sporting’s former Coventry striker Viktor Gyokeres, who has 23 goals already this season and has only failed to score in two of his 16 appearances.
“We can’t go somewhere and try to replicate what happened here,” he said. “The leagues are different, I’m not there yet. I don’t know what the team needs more. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
United’s 3-0 Premier League win against Leicester on Sunday brought the curtain down on Ruud van Nistelrooy’s unbeaten four-match stint as Erik ten Hag’s interim successor.
Amorim will be unable to start coaching until he receives his visa but he will be able to visit Carrington for meetings in the meantime.
United sources expect the visa process to be concluded promptly and have been irked by the suggestion there has been a setback given standard procedures are being followed.
Amorim was named as Ten Hag’s permanent successor on 1 November and his first match will be the Premier League trip to Ipswich on 24 November.
The composition of the 39-year-old’s backroom team has yet to be confirmed but the incoming head coach has said he will be bringing in some of his own staff.
It is unclear whether Van Nistelrooy, who returned to the club in the summer as assistant to Ten Hag and has a contract until 2026, will remain at United.
Amorim is not expected to face the media until the end of the international break but will do in-house interviews before then.