The Manchester United lessons Ruben Amorim must learn to spark AC Milan revival | OneFootball

After Manchester United, Wilf McGuinness’ next job was Aris, followed by Panachaiki, also in Greece. His only other permanent managerial post was at York City. After leaving Old Trafford, Frank O’Farrell went to Cardiff and then on an eclectic journey to Iran, Torquay, Al Shaab and Torquay again.

All of which has an added pertinence now, more than half a century after their reigns ended. For Ruben Amorim, the next destination on the footballing map feels altogether more glamorous: AC Milan, making him a successor to Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello, Nereo Rocco and Carlo Ancelotti. At Old Trafford, however, Amorim was not so much the new Matt Busby or Sir Alex Ferguson as arguably the worst United manager since World War Two, an unwanted tag that may otherwise have rested with McGuinness or O’Farrell. They were tarnished by disappointments as Busby’s successors. Their careers never recovered.

open image in gallery

Ruben Amorim left Manchester United at the start of the year (PA Wire)

Amorim’s overall win percentage with United was 38.1; but that was inflated by a Europa League run. In the league, it was a mere 31.9 per cent. Only McGuinness, at 29.2 per cent, has fared worse in the last eight decades. The historic markers, whether of United’s lowest league finish in half a century or the Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby, may be sufficiently fresh in Mancunian memories that they do not require raking over.

And yet, they may not have been a deterrent to the Rossoneri. This, admittedly, is not the Milan of the seven European Cups; not when they limped in fifth in Serie A. But there are elements of the task that feel familiar, to revive a fallen giant, to take them back into the Champions League, to lend modernity.

open image in gallery

AC Milan are in need of revival (Getty)

So one interpretation of Amorim’s move to San Siro is to say that Milan blamed the Portuguese’s failure at Old Trafford on United. He is not alone in floundering there; indeed their shortlist seemed to comprise Old Trafford alumni with Ralf Rangnick, an unsuccessful interim in Manchester but with admirers in Lombardy, instead opting to extend his contract with Austria.

The argument in Amorim’s defence was that United was too dysfunctional for anyone to succeed, however, has been rather rebuffed by Michael Carrick (current win percentage: 70) who has prospered in part by being the antithesis of Amorim. Some of the failings can be traced directly to Amorim. Whatever difficulties Rangnick, Erik ten Hag, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Jose Mourinho, Louis van Gaal or David Moyes had, they never took United to such depths.

Part of United’s essential error in appointing Amorim was that, while they deemed him the best young coach in Europe, he got out-coached with great regularity in a division featuring many of the world’s top 50 managers. It was a regular occurrence to watch a match, see one expertly-drilled side and another that looked less well configured. United were the latter.

open image in gallery

Ruben Amorim could not get the best out of the Manchester United squad (PA Wire)

Which adds intrigue to his arrival in Italy. Many a footballing cliche can contain an element of truth. It is a generalisation that Italian managers have a tactical expertise, but many do. Can Amorim outmanoeuvre them?

The slower pace of play in Serie A may suit him; his United could be rattled by some of the Premier League’s quicker sides. It may help, too, that he is coming to an outlier of a division, where playing three at the back is fashionable. Cristian Chivu, Simone Inzaghi and Antonio Conte have all won Serie A with back-three formations. Amorim’s system looks more a case of evolution than revolution for Milan: the sacked Massimiliano Allegri played 3-5-2 last season, which is at least closer to Amorim’s 3-4-3.

But the Portuguese’s inflexibility and stubborn obsession with his shape showed some of his limitations. Others came in the sort of matches United – and Milan – need to win. Some of Amorim’s better results in England occurred when an underdog: Amorim’s record against Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City was respectable, considering his struggles against many a mid-table team. One, intriguingly, was Bournemouth; Andoni Iraola was one of the managers of smaller clubs to prosper against him and then, until hired by Liverpool, seemed to rank above him in Milan’s thinking.

open image in gallery

Andoni Iraola (left) had been AC Milan's preferred target before Liverpool swooped (Getty)

Iraola is at the forefront of the pressing revolution in a way Amorim is not. If Allegri, despite his six Scudetti, came to look outdated last year, is Amorim a more contemporary choice? Or is history just repeating itself at San Siro? Because 2024-25 was a season of Portuguese managers, but Milan sacked both Paulo Fonseca and Sergio Conceicao.

One of the unresolved questions about Amorim is whether he can manage in a more even league. It is why it is a surprise he has reemerged in a division as competitive as Serie A. His reputation was forged in Portugal where the gulf in resources between the big three and the rest created mismatches. Terrific as his record with Sporting Lisbon was, perhaps it stemmed less than it seemed from tactical or training-ground excellence.

But they will be required in Italy. United will watch on from afar with interest. There will be some relief in the accounts department that he is returning to employment. United will make a substantial financial saving: they had factored in a £16m cost of paying Amorim and his backroom staff for the remainder of their contracts.

open image in gallery

Is Ruben Amorim the man to revive AC Milan? (PA)

There may be the potential for some embarrassment at Old Trafford if Amorim proves the man to revive Milan. But if not, he could always head to York or Torquay.