Jose Mourinho outlined the enormous task facing former Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim upon accepting the Old Trafford role, which eventually led to his sacking. Amorim was appointed head coach in November 2024 but was sacked after 14 months in charge.

The 41-year-old had established himself as one of Europe's brightest coaches during his time at Sporting CP. Over nearly four years in Lisbon, Amorim claimed five trophies, including two Primeira Liga titles. Despite his arrival being met with initial enthusiasm, Amorim found it difficult to deliver instant results. United reached last season's Europa League final yet languished in 15th place in the Premier League following a dismal run of one point per match under Amorim. United showed signs of progress before his dismissal this campaign, though performance levels remained below the club's standards. However, the demanding nature of the United job should not have caught Amorim off guard, given that former boss Jose Mourinho had contacted him about the pressures at Old Trafford

Amorim met Mourinho during a coaching internship with the then-United manager in 2018. Six years on, in his first press conference at the club, Amorim revealed what Mourinho had advised him to expect as United boss.

"He sent me a message and told me that this is a lovely club, a big club, with lovely people - and that is correct," Amorim said. "It still is. But a lot of things change and we are in a different building now; we are building a new one and I am a different guy. I was learning at the time.

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"I hope to now teach something here too, to my players. But the club is still big and is still the best club in England and we want to win again, that is all."

While Mourinho conveyed the demands of the position, Amorim's remarks about the changes at United also indicated the club was in transition. He received backing following an underwhelming debut campaign at the helm but the Portuguese manager was eventually sacked after his team's draw with Leeds in January.

Mourinho had previously lauded Amorim when the then-Sporting manager was initially linked with the United job. The 63-year-old, who currently manages Benfica, was convinced that Amorim was destined for success.

"I like him as a coach. I think he has the conditions to be able to coach in any league and he has the conditions to be able to coach in any club," Mourinho said. "But he's in a good league and he's in a big club.

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"The decision is his and it will be up to the clubs that want him or not, to convince him with more or less arguments. What is clear from my side is that I like the person and I like the coach."

It remains to be seen where Amorim will take his next job after leaving United. His predecessor Ten Hag was dismissed by Bayer Leverkusen in September and is poised to take up the technical director role at FC Twente next season.