Sod Amorim: Manchester United are back, Ruud’s at the wheel and history is repeating itself

A ‘huge concern’ has emerged over Ruben Amorim but Manchester United might not mind because Ruud van Nistelrooy is the latest interim revelation.

In Ruud health
The biennial Manchester United caretaker manager game took place on Wednesday night and the reaction from some quarters is suitably hilarious.

Ian Herbert of the Daily Mail takes the lead:

‘It took only a gesture – Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first gesture – to remind Old Trafford of the place it has been and will be once more. When he marched out into the arena last night and immediately turned back to flash a fist at the Stretford End, it transported us back to the days when fight and style and indomitability walked this stadium.’

Did it? It looked a bit like a bloke geeing up the supporters. But maybe it really was a signal that Manchester United are back, baby.

‘It was not the kind of gesture you would ever have seen from Erik ten Hag…’

Forgive Mediawatch for not being able to conjure up an exact example but even anecdotally that has to be absolute b*llocks. After the Brentford win earlier this month, David McDonnell of the Daily Mirror wrote:

‘Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag applauded the Stretford End as he strode off the pitch, giving fans there a thumbs-up and a defiant fist pump, mouthing “thank you” for their loyal support.’

And even if Ten Hag was averse to a stylish fist pump in front of the crowd, was that really the most glaring difference between his reign and those 90 minutes? Was the lack of Ten Hag ‘marching out into the arena’ what prevented him from emulating those days of ‘fight’ and ‘indomitability’?

‘It set the tone for a night which provided a real sense that a decent run in the job for Van Nistelrooy really might not have been the worst idea in the world.’

It summed up how Manchester United should probably expect to win at home against a Leicester side making nine changes. At least Rio Ferdinand waited for a fair few games – and an actual statement win over a very good team – before declaring that Ole’s at the wheel.

‘The stadium lapped it all up and Sir Alex Ferguson, back in his seat, smiled beneficently, and it was hard not to think, ‘What if?’ What if those running United could have waited, observed and tried to discover if this man had the answers they’re looking for.’

It was a Carabao Cup fourth-round home win over a team captained by Conor Coady, fighting Premier League relegation and which needed penalties to overcome Walsall in the previous round. ‘If those running United’ are swayed by such things then they are even more incompetent than first thought.

‘Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes – dummying exquisitely to allow the ball to run on for the Casemiro bullet – played like [sic] were actually enjoying themselves. A reminder of how sheer pleasure and motivation to do well for a manager counts for just as much as philosophies and formations.’

In a Carabao Cup fourth-round home win over a team captained by Conor Coady, fighting Premier League relegation and which needed penalties to overcome Walsall in the previous round, yes. It might count for a little less against other, better teams and it feels like that is worth considering.

‘There were no histrionics from Van Nistelrooy, who did not budge from the touchline throughout – arms folded, mostly; occasional pointing and exhortations; an arm thrown around Rene Hake when they plotted. He’s certainly not one to parade himself as a United legend like he is entitled to.’

He didn’t stroll onto the pitch mid-match while carrying his 2002/03 Golden Boot. Give him the job now.

MORE MANCHESTER UNITED REACTION FROM F365
👉 ‘Double reject’ Amorim is a Manchester United improvement on ‘frankly deranged’ Ten Hag
👉 Man Utd reach Amorim ‘agreement’; expected first game surfaces amid reveal on ‘accepted terms’

Contract killer
Chris Wheeler is slightly more measured elsewhere on those Daily Mail pages. But only slightly:

‘Much more of this and United could withdraw their contract offer and give the job to Ruud van Nistelrooy instead.’

There is certainly more than a hint of sarcasm there (we hope), but Wheeler does also write how that was ‘just the kind of performance Van Nistelrooy would have been hoping for to at least press his claims for staying on under the new regime if not to make United change their minds over Amorim altogether’. So he is being at least semi-serious.

Manchester United play Chelsea on Sunday. If they put five past them then it might ‘change their minds over Amorim altogether’. It would be really stupid and short-sighted if it did, but it would be fairer than if they even contemplated pulling out and backing Van Nistelrooy because Danny Ward conceded five goals.

The gloves are off
Fair play to the great Neil Custis for avoiding suggesting Manchester United should save themselves the hassle and just appoint Van Nistelrooy now. Indeed, in his Sun match report he writes:

‘It makes you wonder what Ruud van Nistelrooy was doing on the training ground in the first place.’

Indeed. Although Neil obviously didn’t spot the fist pump.

What he did see was this during Casemiro’s goal celebration:

‘The former Real Madrid star ran to the corner flag and tapped the United club emblem with his hand.

‘Why he had gloves on his hands was another matter.’

That is absolutely textbook Custis.

And the reason is you
West Ham’s real reason for rejecting Amorim is huge concern for Man Utd – Daily Mirror website.

A couple of things here:

1) West Ham’s ‘real reason for rejecting Amorim’ is not actually known. Most claims at the time suggested it was down to money and talkSPORT corroborated that at the same time the Daily Mail revealed the ‘real reason’ on Wednesday, which brings us to…

2) Amorim not yet managing outside of Portugal, the apparent ‘huge concern’, is something Manchester United were probably already fully aware of.

You know who else had never managed outside of their native country before coming to England this season? Here’s a clue: Liverpool appointed him after rejecting Amorim too and he has made one of the best starts ever to a Premier League managerial career.

No way, Jose
‘Jose Mourinho believes Manchester United are getting the best coach in Portugal in Ruben Amorim’ – Manchester Evening News.

What gave Jose Mourinho that impression about someone described as Mourinho 2.0, who won the title last season and is on nine wins from nine this campaign, conceding two goals and remaining unbeaten in the Champions League.

They call him The Special One for a reason; he has an eye for these things.