RUBEN AMORIM has revealed he did not want to join Manchester United until the end of the season and admitted “I changed my mind several times”.
The Red Devils announced Amorim, 39, as Erik ten Hag’s replacement on Friday morning and he will begin work at Old Trafford on November 11.
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He will remain in charge of Sporting for their games against Manchester City and Braga – and on Friday evening led the Portuguese champions to a 5-1 win over Estrela Amadora.
The result moves Sporting six points clear at the top of the Primeira Liga.
And Amorim confirmed after the game that he wanted to remain at Sporting until the end of the campaign but was told by Man Utd chiefs it was “now or never”.
He said: “I asked United if it could be at the end of the season. It was what I wanted. United said no. It was now or never. So I had to make a decision.
“This is exactly the context I wanted [United struggling] because I can do things my way.”
Before he added: “I changed my mind several times.
“My concern is not to harm the Sporting team, we’ll see later. I’ll have that concern when I’m at United.”
Amorim also quashed talk he was joining Man Utd for the money.
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He said: “Some people say it’s for money. It’s not.
“Other clubs were prepared to pay 3 times more and I refused. This is the club [United] I wanted.”
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The feeling around Amorim’s impending departure has divided the Sporting faithful.
Outside the stadium, there was a banner which read: “Amorim, this is not your home anymore, thank you.”
Other fans, though, took flags into the ground declaring their love for the coach who led the club to two titles.
When Amorim’s name was first read out 30 minutes before kick-off, there were whistles and jeers followed by applause.
But when the 39-year-old came out of the tunnel for the game, he received a standing ovation and applauded the fans.
After the game, Amorim said: “Obviously, since this whole situation came about I’ve felt different.
“I understand the anger of some fans and the disappointment. But that’s life. I was moved by the ovation and that’s how it is.
“Even the other statement, when it came out, was on a match day.
WHEN Ruben Amorim took charge of Sporting Lisbon in March 2020, one club official compared their situation to the “walking dead”, writes Jordan Davies.
Optimism and hope was at an all-time low.
But the Amorim-effect was almost instantaneous, guiding the Portuguese sleeping giants to their first league title for 19 years in 2020/21, losing just once and only conceding 20 goals.
Since then, Sporting have lifted another league title in 2023/24 – as well as two League Cups – and currently sit top with nine wins from nine this term.
He may be young, but Amorim already has an eye for rebuilding and revitalising fallen super powers with his infectious charisma and intense tactical philosophy that hardly ever wavers.
The “walking dead” at Manchester United must be praying for a similar sort of revival.
And they may just get it from one of the most talented young coaches on the continent – a man accustomed to breathing new life back into crumbling institutions such as Old Trafford.
Amorim has spent the last decade dreaming of one day gracing England’s Premier League, such was his admiration for an ex-United boss in Jose Mourinho growing up.
Often nicknamed ‘Mourinho 2.0’, Amorim spent a week with his coaching idol in an internship capacity at United’s Carrington training base in 2018, going on to cite him as his “reference point”.
United should not be expecting a mini-Mourinho, as Amorim said himself: “Mourinho is one of a kind. There won’t be another Mourinho. Mourinho is unique.”
And yet, you cannot help but compare the two.
For all the mismanagement in the Old Trafford hot seats over the years, this would be a real get – finally a slap in the face United’s Prem rivals have no answer for.
“But clubs are now listed companies and they have to present all these things. There were two statements. But that’s how things are, there are things that we can’t control.
“I’m very grateful to the fans and to everything here. People think I wanted to leave straight away. In the next home game, whether we win or lose by 15-0, I’ll be there to see what the fans want to give me.
“I understand their anger, but we move on and time heals everything. It was the best period of my life.”
Amorim has won two league titles as Sporting manager – the first of which in 2021 ended a 19-year wait.
His Man Utd contract runs until 2027, with the option of an extra year.
The Red Devils paid £8.3million to trigger a release clause which allowed him to leave Sporting.
His first game in charge of Man Utd comes away at Ipswich on November 24.
United are understood to have paid an extra £900,000 to get him early rather than waiting a further three weeks.
Amorim has been highly sought this year following his success with Sporting.
Premier League rivals Liverpool were close to appointing the Lisbon gaffer before making the decision to bring in Arne Slot instead.
While he also held talks with West Ham over the summer and had been rumoured to be on a list of candidates to take over from Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
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Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has offered suggestions to how Kevin Magnussen might work with the team next year, since he will not form part of its Formula 1 driving line-up in 2025.
Although Magnussen has been replaced at the team by Esteban Ocon, Komatsu is particularly keen to keep working with the Dane – and vice versa, as Magnussen is keen to remain involved with a different role at Haas if he does not get a race seat in 2025.
Previously, Magnussen stated that he was open to “some kind of role – advisory, or however they see fit” given his lengthy association with the team that started in 2017 after he left Renault.
Komatsu has revealed a few options that Magnussen has with the team, which extends to setting benchmarks with the testing of previous cars (TPC) programme that Haas can now start running with Toyota’s involvement, along with occasional simulator and reserve roles.
It was announced earlier today that Magnussen will miss Friday running and Saturday’s sprint race at this weekend’s Formula 1’s Brazilian Grand Prix due to illness, with reserve driver Oliver Bearman taking over the Dane’s car.
“We can do up to 20 days (of TPC) next year, but current race drivers, the mileage you can put in is limited to 1,000 kilometres. We’re going to do TPC in January before the season starts with our new race drivers,” Komatsu explained.
“I expect most of those mileage is basically used up by the end of January with Esteban and Ollie [Bearman].
“But when we do TPC in season, that’s much more for young driver development and then to have reference with somebody like Kevin, especially the way he’s driving now, he can provide a proper reference.
Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-24
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
“Also the simulator in Banbury, we are installing it. When he was at McLaren, before he actually became a F1 race driver, he was very highly-rated at McLaren as a simulator driver and that’s something where he can contribute as well.
“So there’s many ways we can use Kevin. And also, he can be a reserve driver in some circuits, not everywhere, but again, look at how strong he’s performing. We are openly discussing and then trying to find out something hopefully soon.
“He’s a family man, he doesn’t want to do 24 races anyway so certainly he doesn’t want to be at the racing circuit 24 times when he’s not driving.
“So again, that’s the thing, Europe is not a problem – but we’re looking at all the aspects.’
Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Team
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Komatsu revealed that the decks were clear to run Ocon during the end-of-season test at the Yas Marina Circuit, and that it was important to give the Frenchman mileage in this year’s VF-24 to prepare him for next year.
The test has been used as a Pirelli test and a young driver test – the latter of which Bearman is eligible for as the Briton has driven just two F1 races to date.
“That would be the first time for Esteban to drive our car, which is important because obviously regulations are stable. So next year’s car is the evolution of this car,” said Komatsu.
“So at least it’s good that he tastes this car before January or as soon as possible to see what our cars are like, strengths and weakness.
“And then if he had input, we can still work on it during the development. Also, Ollie’s been driving this car – okay, limited by in FP1s and one race. But Ollie’s going to be driving as well, to have the opportunity to work with the team. Everything helps, right?”
Northampton extended their year-long unbeaten home run and avenged their Premiership defeat away to last season’s beaten finalists Leicester three weeks ago.
Malelili Satala’s first senior try gave Leicester an ideal start but that was as good as it got for the in-form Tigers at a sold-out Franklin’s Gardens.
Nineteen-year-old back-row Henry Pollock responded as the much-changed East Midlands rivals traded early scores, and the Saints did not look back as they clicked into gear.
James Ramm put them ahead before centre Tom Litchfield finished a slick backs move to make it 19-7 at the interval.
Pollock teed up George Hendy for Northampton’s bonus-point try and academy product Ewan Baker underlined an impressive night for the young Saints before Will Wand gave Tigers the final say.
In the other Midlands tie in Pool B, Championship leaders Coventry extended their 100 per cent start to the season away to second-tier rivals Nottingham.
Matt Arden booted the hosts into the lead, but Charlie Robson and Matt Johnson scores put the visitors 12-3 up at the break.
Ryan Olowofela cut the deficit to two points, but Ryan Hutler, Jordan Poole, David Opoku and Will Lane secured a bonus-point win despite Jay Ecclesfield’s consolation score.
Fixtures
Saturday
Pool A: Caldy v Newcastle Falcons (14:00 GMT)
Pool C: London Scottish v Harlequins (14:00); Ealing Trailfinders v Saracens (15:00)
Pool D: Ampthill v Bath (13:30); Bristol v Bedford Blues (15:00)
Pool E: Hartpury RFC v Gloucester (14:30)
Toyota claimed pole position for the Bahrain World Endurance Championship finale to move one point closer to Porsche in the manufacturers’ standings.
Brendon Hartley took the top spot in the Hyperpole session on Friday evening aboard the #8 Toyota GR010 HYBRID Le Mans Hypercar, his first pole since this race last year.
It means that Toyota goes into Saturday’s Bahrain 8 Hours only nine points behind Porsche in the manufacturers’ classification.
Hartley’s 1m46.714s gave him the top spot by three tenths from team-mate Nyck de Vries, who lapped in 1m47.037s aboard the sister Toyota.
“We had a tough day yesterday and were not happy with the few things,” said Hartley.
“I learnt from quali one where I didn’t get the tyre prep quite right and then the car came alive in Hyperpole.”
Antonio Giovinazzi took third with a 1m47.080s, only four hundredths behind the second Toyota, in the best of the factory Ferrari 499P LMHs.
#51 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi
Photo by: Shameem Fahath
Top Porsche was the customer Proton 963 LMDh in the hands of Neel Jani, who was a further two tenths back on a 1m47.234s.
Antonio Fuoco took fifth on the grid in the second of the AF Corse-run factory Ferraris with a 1m47.527s.
That put him just ahead of the championship-leading factory Penske-run Porsche in which Kevin Estre took sixth with a 1m47.542s.
The second of the Penske cars was seventh in Matt Campbell’s hands, while Norman Nato was eighth in the only one of the two Jota customer Porsches to make it through to Hyperpole for the fastest 10 cars in opening qualifying.
The two BMW M Hybrid V8 LMDhs brought up the rear of the times, Dries Vanthoor ahead of Robin Frijns.
Frijns, however, did a time lost to a track limits infringement that would have put him seventh.
Cadillac failed to make it through to Hyperpole with its solo V-Series.R LMDh run by Chip Ganassi Racing, Alex Lynn ending up 13th after only posting a representative time when the chequered flag had already fallen.
Both Peugeot 9X8 2024 LMHs and Alpine A424 LMDhs were knocked out at the first stage of qualifying.
#95 United Autosports McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo: Joshua Caygill, Nicolas Pino, Marino Sato
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
The United Autosports team locked out the LMGT3 front row as McLaren took its second class pole of the season after the Inception Racing IMSA SportsCar Championship squad took qualifying honours at the Le Mans 24 Hours in June.
Josh Caygill grabbed the top spot in the times in the best of the McLaren 720S GT3 EVOs when he lapped in 2m02.201s, just two thousandths of second quicker than team-mate James Cottingham’s 2m02.203s.
The McLarens ended up more than a tenth clear of Francois Heriau, who posted a 2m02.367s in the best of the AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3s.
Sarah Bovy, the only driver to take two poles in LMGT3 this year, ended up fourth in the Iron Dames Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2.
Alex Malykhin, who has already been crowned LMGT3 champion with team-mates Joel Sturm and Klaus Bachler, took fifth in the Manthey PureRxing Porsche 911 GT3-R despite carrying 35kg of success ballast.
Both WRT BMW M4 GT3s failed to make the cut for Hyperpole in the hands of Darren Leung and Ahmad Al Harthy.
The Bahrain 8 Hours, the eighth and final round of the 2024 WEC, begins at 14:00 local time on Saturday.
IT is the Premier League’s first Glove Affair for 31 YEARS.
Uniquely among the managerial fraternity, both Julen Lopetegui and Nuno Espirito Santo were goalkeepers in their playing careers before becoming bosses.
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The last time two stoppers faced each other in opposing dugouts in the top flight was on Friday, April 9, 1993.
Tottenham crushed Norwich 5-1 at White Hart Lane — ex-Colchester keeper Mike Walker was manager of the Canaries, while former England No 1 Ray Clemence was in caretaker charge of Spurs along with Doug Livermore.
However, Friday’s clash at the City Ground, as surprise package Nottingham Forest face under-performing West Ham, represents the FIRST time two permanent chiefs who were former goalies going head to head.
Any suggestion you have to be crazy to become a keeper in the first place has been shot down by the Hammers manager.
Well-travelled Spaniard Lopetegui laughed: “This is a big lie! A very big lie.
“Normally the most sensible people in the dressing room are the goalkeepers. Believe me.
“You can say they are different but not crazy.”
There is an eight-year age gap between Lopetegui, 58, and Nuno, 50, but they are both ex-Porto managers and they crossed paths earlier this century in LaLiga combat.
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Lopetegui, who also coached at Real Madrid and Sevilla, said: “I’m a little bit older than him.
“Yes, I remember him as a keeper. I played against him as a coach, too. But we were never keeper on keeper. I didn’t play against him as a keeper.
“Who was the better goalkeeper? Ha, I forgot my time. I don’t remember a lot. Maybe me. I don’t know.”
Goalkeepers is a key theme of West Ham’s selection approach, as matchday 10 represents their first league visit outside of London.
Frenchman Alphonse Areola was dropped after the 4-1 defeat at Spurs even though he had started in the opening eight league ties.
Pole Lukasz Fabianski was given the responsibility for the home match with Manchester United last Sunday and pulled off several great saves to help the Hammers win 2-1 — a result that saw the Old Trafford axing of Erik ten Hag.
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Asked if he empathised with Areola’s disappointment, Lopetegui said: “I was a goalkeeper a long time ago. But I understand.
“I can change other positions. I repeat, you don’t change one player, it’s not about thinking that something is wrong with him.
“It’s thinking that maybe you’re going to be positive with this change.
“Sometimes it’s going to happen or not. In football, we don’t have a crystal ball. But we try to take the decision that we think will always help the team.
“Did I get dropped? A lot! In my opinion, to my coaches, I was right! It’s like this.
“We trust Alphonse a lot. He did very well in this team before. But we decided that in this match, Lukasz was more ready and maybe it was good to put him in for different reasons.
“All of them have to be ready to play. It’s up to us to decide who is going to be in or not.
“It’s not because we don’t trust them. It’s good, this kind of inside competition, to be more competitive.”
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EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada – UFC Fight Night 246` ceremonial weigh-ins took place Friday, and the fighters came face-to-face one final time before Saturday’s event.
The weigh-ins took place at Edmonton Convention Center, which is nearby to Rogers Place, which hosts Saturday’s event (ESPN+).
Check out the video above to see the athletes from the scheduled matchups come face-to-face, and don’t miss the photo gallery below.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 246.
Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
A’Marion McCoy got the interception and returned it for a 35-yard TD to extend thje Boise State Broncos’ lead over the San Diego State Aztecs.
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