Ruben Amorim has described his new role as AC Milan head coach as an even greater challenge than managing Manchester United, as he returns to management following a difficult tenure at Old Trafford.
Amorim's Manchester United Record
The 41-year-old Portuguese coach left Manchester United in January after a disappointing spell in charge. He managed 63 games for the Red Devils, winning just 24 of them, resulting in a win rate of 38.10 per cent. His replacement, Michael Carrick, guided United to a third-place finish last season, highlighting the struggles Amorim faced.
A New Challenge at AC Milan
Despite his difficult time in England, Amorim's reputation remains intact as he takes over at AC Milan, who finished fifth in Serie A last season. The club aims to challenge for the Scudetto and return to Champions League contention. Amorim acknowledged the magnitude of the task, stating: 'I'm really happy to be here. It's an honour to be the coach of AC Milan. If you look at an old interview of mine, I said this is a special club for me. It's a great challenge. After the last time I promised myself to choose a smaller challenge, and yet here I am, it's an even bigger challenge.'
Winning Mentality
When asked if his aim is to win trophies, Amorim responded: 'Of course. You can't come to Milan without this mentality. I'm not naïve and I know we have a lot to do, but if you're the coach of Milan, you have to play to win.'
Long-Standing Admiration for Milan
Amorim had previously expressed his admiration for AC Milan in a 2017 interview, saying: 'As a child, I had two great passions: Benfica and AC Milan. I still remember spending hours watching tapes of Sacchi and Capello's Rossoneri: Maldini, Baresi, Gullit, Rijkaard, Savicevic… My childhood dreams were to play for Benfica and AC Milan. I only managed to achieve one. Now I'll have to coach the Rossoneri.'
Club President's Confidence
AC Milan president Paolo Scaroni revealed that club owner Gerry Cardinale had been monitoring Amorim for some time. 'I know that Gerry Cardinale had been following Amorim for some time, a coach he viewed with great interest,' Scaroni said, via ANSA. 'I trust that Gerry Cardinale has his own magic touch when it comes to choosing people; he has demonstrated it many times throughout his life, and I hope that this time too it truly proves to be a magic touch. I am confident that everything will begin on the right footing.'
