THE NEW SPECIAL ONE
Europe’s most-wanted coach tops Liverpool’s data tests for expected goals, is a master motivator and took a Jose Mourinho course at university RUBEN AMORIM IS...
M‘He responds with a detailed answer to any questions — even stupid ones’
adness. That was the word filling the conversations and the back pages when sporting Clube de Portugal announced they were taking a risk on a on a young coach from Braga, only four years ago.
Why had the capital club, one of Portugal’s Big Three along with Porto and Lisbon rivals Benfica, paid more than €10million in compensation for a then 35-yearold with less than six months of top-level experience? Welcome to the fast lane, Ruben amorim.
Back then, the outrage was led by Portuguese football icon Luis Figo, who dubbed the decision to hire rookie amorim as ‘ loucura’.
Four years on, the only madness around amorim is that he is not yet at one of europe’s giants. He will be soon. He has scored high on data tests led by Liverpool and will almost certainly get invited to interview for the soon-to-be vacant manager’s job.
In a recruitment process aided by head of research Will spearman, a former Harvard student, amorim will have excelled on expected goals metrics (xG), and data shows he is overperforming with a limited budget compared to Benfica and Porto.
His style is different to Jurgen Klopp’s but fits in their desire for an exciting, attacking philosophy. Mail Sport understands the Reds have had scouts at several sporting matches this year.
after Liverpool conceded defeat on hiring Xabi alonso on Thursday — internally, it appears the Reds never had any confidence they could lure him out of Bayer Leverkusen this summer — amorim became the frontrunner for the Reds hotseat.
But Liverpool are not the only team keen on amorim. Bayern Munich need to replace Thomas Tuchel, plus Xavi is departing Barcelona. Manchester United and Chelsea would be in the market if their current managers were to leave.
In a fascinating scrap for new managers, whoever does hire amorim will have to pay a hefty compensation fee and he has a release clause inserted into his contract.
so… what is so special about the new special one?
amorim was asked if Pep Guardiola was his reference point and, while he did say the Catalan was the best current coach in the world, he answered by saying: ‘My reference has always been Mourinho.’
He attended a coaching course at the Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon which had sessions led by Mourinho alongside antonio Veloso, who won seven league titles with Benfica in the 1980s.
amorim and Mourinho stayed in touch, though the relationship is said to have evolved away from a master-and-apprentice hierarchy. When amorim’s sporting knocked arsenal out of the europa League in 2023, his compatriot was quick to Whatsapp him.
‘The old and the new Mourinho are still in the competition,’ joked the then- Roma boss. When quizzed on the pair’s similarities, amorim said of his idol: ‘Mourinho is one of a kind. There won’t be another Mourinho. Mourinho is unique.’
Those comments got the senses tingling with Chelsea fans still not sold on Pochettino. Manchester United would probably be keen if their new investors were to part company with erik ten Hag. But he is now the no 1 contender to replace Jurgen Klopp.
EVERYONE who knows amorim and his journey well, from former colleagues to Portuguese football experts, cites his unique tactics and motivational speeches. But above all, they talk about his personality.
‘ The best word to describe Ruben is genuine,’ says one former colleague who asked to remain anonymous as he works for another club. ‘ He values relationships, makes everyone in the building feel heard from the team captain to office staff — it creates a winning mentality.
‘He is loud but never aggressive or rude. He is a leader and makes everyone feel like they’re working with him, not below him. But his best (trait) is communicating, making everyone feel united and trusted.’
There is a social media page dedicated as a countdown to amorim’s next press conference. Like his idol Mourinho, amorim thinks matches do not start when the teams walk on to the pitch but instead in his news briefings.
some have described him as a ‘master trash talker’ to try to get one up on his opposite number the day before games, but players are said to tune in and hang on his every word. His comments might wind up rivals but they inspire sporting’s stars.
‘He’s a brilliant communicator,’ says Tom Kundert, a Portuguese football expert who has written two books and runs the website PortuGoaL.
‘He’s very open in press conferences, happy to respond to all questions — even the stupid ones — with an informative answer. and he retains a remarkably jovial demeanour, even when the pressure is on. He fosters a superb spirit among the whole squad, and that is no doubt the fruit of his communicative approach.
‘In five years as a coach, I can’t remember him criticising any of his players in public and I can’t recall one news story of an unhappy player.
‘When things do go wrong for sporting, which hasn’t happened
much under Amorim, he shifts the focus on himself.
‘he will say things like, “We lost because Sporting have a coach who is still inexperienced and got it wrong today”. Overall, he has a very affable personality and generally does a great job at swerving any controversies or spats with rival managers.’
Sources in Lisbon suggest Amorim loves life at Sporting and the offer would have to be ‘perfect’ to tempt him to move abroad, having held talks with Tottenham when Antonio Conte left in spring 2023.
‘I’ve seen many coaches move to other leagues and not be happier,’ he said last summer. ‘I want to value what I have. I’ve had contacts with other clubs, Sporting knows, but I wanted to stay because I like being here.
‘If I have to leave here, either because I was pushed out with white handkerchiefs, or because I went to another club, it will happen. But being here doing my part, I won’t be opening the door and leaving it ajar, because Sporting deserves respect.’
INTERESTINGLY, his management career got off to a significant false start. After a playing career that involved a decade at Benfica and 14 Portugal caps, he began his second life of coaching at lower-league Lisbon club Casa Pia. But Amorim did not have the necessary coaching qualifications so was suspended from management and forced to resign. Casa Pia were docked six points, though they still gained promotion that season, a testament to the foundations laid by their rookie, unlicenced coach. People close to Amorim say he was furious at that and nearly gave up altogether, but quickly calmed down and set in motion a trail of events that has led him to becoming one of europe’s most wanted, via Braga’s B team and then their senior side.
Amorim’s greatest achievement in management was leading Sporting to their first league title since 2002 and the club are on course for another triumph this season, one point clear of bitter rivals Benfica with a game in hand, and seven clear of Porto.
‘he proved the doubters wrong by making Sporting a force again,’ says Zach Lowy, a european football expert. ‘They had been also-rans for the entire century, so to end the Porto and Benfica duopoly, it’s massive.’
The 39-year-old has seen plenty of star players depart Sporting during his time there — including Manchester City’s Matheus nunes, Fulham’s Joao Palhinha and Tottenham’s Pedro Porro — but has constantly rebuilt a winning team.
Amorim deploys a 3-4-3 system and is said to be stubborn about his tactical approach, never moving away from what he views as the right way to play football. ‘he is married to the 3-4-3,’ adds Kundert. ‘It is interesting that it
‘He is married to 3-4-3 with the wing-backs very attack-minded’
is viewed by some as a defensive formation, with the wing-backs often forming a five-man defence, and in the title-winning season Sporting’s triumph was certainly built on a watertight defence.
‘It has slight nuances in the attacking third, but he will never abdicate from the three-at-theback system. The wing-backs are often extremely attack-minded, especially Porro on the right who was a fundamental part of Sporting’s offensive game plan under Amorim.
‘But it can also be an extremely offensive system, as has been the case this season. Sporting have scored more than 100 goals so far — and in the league they have netted more goals at this stage of the season than any Sporting team going back 50 years.’
Wherever he goes, Amorim would likely demand his coaching team follows. One, 29-year- old Carlos Fernandes, is described as ‘the Mourinho to Amorim’s Bobby robson’. After winning the title, he was winged by all of his staffing team in his post-match press conference.
Amorim is definitely admired by Liverpool, as is roberto De Zerbi. First, though, there is a title to be won at Sporting, with a Lisbon derby next weekend. he might not be as outspoken as Mourinho, but it feels like the Special One 2.0 is heading for europe’s elite.