With Jurgen Klopp leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, several managers have been linked, with Ruben Amorim emerging as one of the favourites for the job.
The 39-year-old has been in charge at Sporting CP for four years and has brought energy, positivity and a league title to the Lisbon club – who hadn’t been champions for 19 years.
He has even been “a bit of a miracle worker” who has “kind of changed Portuguese football,” according to reporter Tom Kundert of Portugoal.
We spoke to Portuguese football journalist Kundert (@PortuGoal1) to discuss Amorim’s time as Sporting manager and what he could bring to Liverpool.
Why is he a candidate?He’s been absolutely brilliant since he’s been at Sporting; you cannot really kind of overstate the impact which he’s had.
He’s just been superb for Sporting and he’s done it now over quite a sustained period of time.
He’s got all the attributes to be the next big thing and you could even say he’s kind of changed Portuguese football.
If you just look at his record, he’s almost been a bit of a miracle worker.How has he made a name for himself?
When he was appointed Sporting coach four years ago, in his first full season they were champions – that was the first time Sporting had won the championship in Portugal for 19 years.
Since then, he’s kept the performance level; Sporting were quite close to winning the championship the season after.
Last season, not quite so successful.This season, they’ve been brilliant again, arguably playing the best football they have since Amorim has been appointed.
Is he more of a man-manager or a tactician?He’s got a bit of both, but I’d say definitely his strong suit is his man-management.
He’s really good at creating a good atmosphere among the squad, a really good spirit of togetherness.
He did that in even in a short time at Braga before he came to Sporting, and at Sporting that’s really been one of the keys to his success, without doubt.
I’ve never heard him criticise any of his players directly, not once.How does he set his team up?Without doubt, he’s pretty astute tactically.
He is completely convinced in his way of playing and doesn’t change it at all, which is a 3-4-3, so a three-man back line.
Some people look at that tactic as a bit of a defensive tactic, because the wing-backs, if they drop back, you’re talking about five defenders.
I would say that was definitely the case in Sporting’s title-winning season. They had such a strong defence and that was really the key to winning the championship.
But it can also be a very offensive system, such as this season, where Sporting are just scoring goals for fun.
They have scored more goals in the league this season than at any time since the 1950s or 60s.
The defenders are very attacking in this system.There are some nuances to the attack.
They usually play with two wide players playing between the lines, but sometimes this season he went more to the traditional two.
Did it work in Europe?I think it was the perfect system. , because when Sporting play against a really strong opponent, you expect them to play mostly on the back foot.
It really suited them.• READ: The data reveals Jurgen Klopp’s ideal Liverpool replacement – and it’s not Xabi AlonsoThey’ve had great results.
Last season they beat Tottenham in the Champions League – losing at home, going down.
They then beat Arsenal in the Europa League.It definitely worked very well at European level.
Do you think Amorim would move to Liverpool or does he have a project at Sporting. satisfied?
Fernando Torres of Liverpool and Sport Lisboa and Ruben Amorim of Benfica in the UEFA Europa League quarter-final second leg at Anfield.
He spent almost his entire playing career in Portugal, including almost all of his time in Lisbon.
He is still in Lisbon and seems very happy and content. here, but without a doubt he is an ambitious coach.
Since Portugal is in the football food chain, it is almost inevitable that if a coach starts to do well, the next logical step is probably to move abroad.
I think moving abroad is inevitable, it goes. I think the question is “when?”.
If Sporting wins the championship, they will qualify for the Champions League next season.
Maybe that would make him stay at Sporting for another year.
It could also depend on how many players Sporting sell because I would say there are four or five players in this squad who are destined and will have peak careers.
sure to sell to some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Thanks again to Tom Kundert for his insight on Ruben Amorim.
