LITTLE DEVIL
Fans ‘cringe so hard’ at ‘incredibly awkward’ Ruben Amorim interview as new Man Utd manager is grilled by reporter
The exchange between Amorim and the journalist led to the press officer intervening
RUBEN AMORIM was involved in an awkward moment with an English journalist ahead of Sporting Lisbon's game against Manchester City.
The new Manchester United manager, 39, will face off against Pep Guardiola's side in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
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He has the opportunity to beat the Red Devils' local rivals before he even arrives at Old Trafford on November 11.
And on Monday he was quizzed about earning a win over the Premier League champions by Sky Sports reporter Gary Cotterill.
But Cotterill was keen for Amorim to speak in English... which led to an awkward moment between the pair.
The Sky Sports journalist asked: "I wondered if you were aware that obviously to win tomorrow night will be brilliant for your current club [Sporting] but also brilliant for your new club [Man Utd].
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"You could be a hero even before you get on a plane to Manchester. Has that crossed your mind? In English please."
A sheepish Amorim, who has been praised already for his excellent English skills, replied: "Sorry, I cannot speak in English now."
Cotterill proceeded to ask "why" on two occasions, before Amorim added: "I'm sorry, they [the other journalists] will miss me in Portuguese so I have to speak in Portuguese."
Cotterill said: "They've had about 25 minutes in Portuguese. We want 10 seconds in English."
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The press officer then intervened to say: ";We will proceed in Portuguese, next week you can hear him talking English."
Before Cotterill added: "It's like a cold shoulder to your English fans."
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Amorim laughed off the comment, but those on social media were quick to react.
One said: "Cringing so hard watching this clip. Fair play to Amorim for keeping his cool."
Another added: "He shoulda trolled the journalist in Portuguese. Easy pickings.";
A third responded: "This is stomach-churning."
And a fourth said: "Huge respect to Ruben Amorim for standing firm on his beliefs.
"The less said about having to answer questions in English whilst he’s in Portugal the better 🤦🏿♂️."
Amorim's first game in charge of Man Utd comes away at Ipswich on November 24.
Ruben Amorim is ‘Mourinho 2.0’ who turned Sporting from ‘walking dead’ into Portuguese champs… he can revive Man Utd
WHEN Ruben Amorim took charge of Sporting Lisbon in March 2020, one club official compared their situation to the “walking dead”, writes Jordan Davies.
Optimism and hope was at an all-time low.
But the Amorim-effect was almost instantaneous, guiding the Portuguese sleeping giants to their first league title for 19 years in 2020/21, losing just once and only conceding 20 goals.
Since then, Sporting have lifted another league title in 2023/24 – as well as two League Cups – and currently sit top with nine wins from nine this term.
He may be young, but Amorim already has an eye for rebuilding and revitalising fallen super powers with his infectious charisma and intense tactical philosophy that hardly ever wavers.
The “walking dead” at Manchester United must be praying for a similar sort of revival.
And they may just get it from one of the most talented young coaches on the continent – a man accustomed to breathing new life back into crumbling institutions such as Old Trafford.
Amorim has spent the last decade dreaming of one day gracing England’s Premier League, such was his admiration for an ex-United boss in Jose Mourinho growing up.
Often nicknamed ‘Mourinho 2.0’, Amorim spent a week with his coaching idol in an internship capacity at United’s Carrington training base in 2018, going on to cite him as his “reference point”.
United should not be expecting a mini-Mourinho, as Amorim said himself: “Mourinho is one of a kind. There won't be another Mourinho. Mourinho is unique.”
And yet, you cannot help but compare the two.
For all the mismanagement in the Old Trafford hot seats over the years, this would be a real get – finally a slap in the face United’s Prem rivals have no answer for.
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