Man Utd: Ferdinand reveals the ‘big difference’ between Amorim and ETH as key problem is identified

Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand has revealed the “big difference” between Ruben Amorim and Erik ten Hag after admitting that “there are similarities”.

The Red Devils have turned to the Sporting Lisbon boss as they attempt to turn a corner under Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS’ guidance.

INEOS decided to stick with Ten Hag over the summer but recent results and performances saw them sack the Dutchman on Monday.

Man Utd have struggled to find a manager since Sir Alex Ferguson who can get them challenging for the Premier League title with Jose Mourinho guiding them to second place in 2018 – but they were still 19 points behind champions Man City.

And Man Utd supporters will be hoping they can gradually start to put in performances that make them look capable of challenging for the Premier League title again in the near future.

Former Red Devils centre-back Ferdinand is convinced that Man City would have been interested in Amorim next summer if he’d been available and Pep Guardiola decided to leave.

Ferdinand told his YouTube channel: “If Pep Guardiola had gone, I think that [Ruben] Amorim would have been someone that Manchester City were looking at. There are similarities to what Erik ten Hag was doing at Ajax but what I would say is that Amorim took a club that was on a barren spell.

“[Sporting] couldn’t compete with Porto or Benfica, hadn’t got near to winning the league – disenchanted fanbase, turmoil behind the scenes. He went in there and immediately turned their fortunes around. He changed their style of football, style of play, and expectations.

“I think the biggest difference between the two (Amorim and Ten Hag), from what I am hearing from people who have played for them but also been around, is the character and charisma compared to Erik ten Hag will be the big difference. United need someone with the character and charisma to go ‘you know what, I don’t care what has happened here, I see a player in you’. You need someone who is going to be like that.

“This is a man who built Manuel Ugarte, who has come to Manchester United. He built a £60m player. He changed the landscape for a football club. That is not easy to do. I don’t care what league you are in.

“I spoke to Nani the other day and he said ‘Rio, the players play for him, love him and they respect him’. He said Amorim is very straight and direct. Maybe there were inconsistencies in the way Ten Hag disciplined. You have to have clear lines when you approach these topics and players.”

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And editor of United We Stand, Andy Mitten, claims that Amorim’s most difficult challenge will be handling a “very complex dressing room” at Man Utd.

Mitten said: “I think the new manager will get a honeymoon period like all have in the post-Ferguson era. Ruben Amorim’s very highly-rated, like the others have been.

“I think he’s got a really difficult job. It’s a complex dressing room at Manchester United. The team has underwhelmed, confidence is low.

“They’ve been starting games by playing well and been unable to follow through the manager’s instructions. There’s been big egos in there from all over the world. It’s very difficult for a manager to go in and wrestle with a team that is underperforming.

“It’s a very complex dressing room at Old Trafford and multiple sources tell me the same thing. I wish the new manager well. I hope he can do the job he did at Sporting, but it’s more than just about the football. The pressure is huge, you’re going to get abuse from all over the world whenever you lose a match.

“Expectations are high because it’s such a huge football club and there’s a lot of pressure that comes with that. There are players among the best paid in the world and they are not performing anywhere near that level.”

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