Manchester United’s new head coach Ruben Amorim has spoken about the work he did with a psychologist as he prepared to end his playing career and move into the dugout
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim insists he can cope with the pressure of managing the biggest club in the Premier League.
Amorim has revealed that he employed the services of a therapist to help him prepare for coaching when his playing career was coming to an end before taking a university degree that would also help him understand the demands of controlling a dressing room. He feels that even at the age of 39, he has been perfectly prepared to handle the demands of bringing back the glory years to Old Trafford.
Amorim said: “I think it (United) will change my life, it will not change me. Everybody says to me, this will change me. This will not change me.
“Of course, if something happens I will be frustrated for a while but I know I will recover. But, I believe that we are going to succeed. I feel the confidence of people but, to tell you the truth, I’m relaxed because, no matter what, I’ll be okay.
“I’m not ashamed to say I had a therapist, a psychologist. I think it helps a lot because I was preparing for the end of my career and I want to change different things to prepare for my career as a coach.
“And also I went to university because I was a football player and sometimes the football player thinks that they are ready because they know football and they are ready to cope with the demands of being a coach. But we have to learn different things about the psychological things, about the movement of the players, the schedule.
“To know the load, how to train with a load, how to manage the load. The days you should do this, do that. So you have to learn these things and I went to university to understand that.”
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Amorim drew his first Premier League game at Ipswich 1-1 before guiding United to a 3-2 Europa League victory over Bodo/Glimt on Thursday night. The Reds now face Everton at home – and the Portuguese already feels he has a connection with the fans.
He said: “It was a special moment to do that walk into the stadium, to the bench, the feeling of belonging with the supporters. I felt that I am one of them and that is really important at this stage.
“Maybe because I am a little bit of an emotional person. I can transmit that (passion), even in interviews I think. Maybe because I am different from the last coach and this can bring a different connection with the next guy. And also I believe that I am the right guy.
“To maintain this feeling we have to play better, to win games and to be really honest with the supporters. I think if you are honest and direct with the supporters, maybe you don’t say the popular thing all the time. You create a better connection than trying to hide the real things.”
Ruben Amorim was speaking to Mark Chapman in the latest episode of the Football Daily podcast
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