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It is two months since Ruben Amorim was fired by Manchester United. He is being tipped to bounce back strongly.
2026 started in a wild way for Manchester United, with Ruben Amorim sacked at the start of January.
Michael Carrick has since brought an aura of calm to the club, producing winning football and calm, measured press conferences.
Amorim has been notable by his silence since his departure.
His next step is unclear – but former Sporting midfielder Joao Palhinha has backed him to be a success.
Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images Ruben Amorim’s BIGGEST MISTAKE at Manchester United was ________________
Fill in the blank…
Photo by Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty Images Joao Palhinha on Ruben Amorim
Joao Palhinha has his hands full right now trying to help Tottenham Hotspur avoid relegation, after he joined them on loan for the season.
But he has still found time to conduct an interview with Portuguese newspaper O Jogo.
Palhinha was asked about the managers he played under, and commented on the former Manchester United head coach.
He explained: “I have no doubt that the success that Ruben Amorim didn’t have at Manchester United he will have at another club.
“He is a very high-quality coach, very intelligent, a good communicator and tactically very strong.”
United supporters may disagree with Amorim being ‘tactically very strong’ – as his tactics proved to be his downfall during his 14 months in charge at Old Trafford.
Palhinha did admit that his best coach was another Sporting boss, who he also worked with at Fulham, adding: “Marco Silva was the coach who managed to get the most out of me.”
Should Manchester United have sacked Ruben Amorim earlier this season?
Could we really have been title contenders?
Getty Images Ruben Amorim must learn from United errors
Ruben Amorim was the youngest Manchester United head coach appointed since Sir Matt Busby.
The task of managing a club of Manchester United’s size just came too early in Amorim’s career. He was not ready.
Amorim was too wedded to one tactical system, and learned a very hard lesson that he must adapt his coaching. He refused to.
He was also too emotionally immature to deal with the pressure and criticism that comes with coaching at United.
Now he must rebuild his coaching career, and choose wisely. Erik ten Hag relaunched his career with Bayer Leverkusen, and was fired after just one month – with his reputation in tatters.
The safe option for Amorim will be to coach in Portugal again. Despite Palhinha backing Amorim for success – there is no guarantee.
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