Jurgen Klopp’s successful reign at Liverpool is coming to an end and the Reds are heavily linked with Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim as his almost certainly successor.
Xabi Alonso was the favorite from the starting to grow to be the next boss at Anfield, but the former midfielder joined Bayer Leverkusen.
Roberto de Zerbi i Amorim are the two names most closely related to the job, and while the Brighton manager is well-known to most Reds fans, the number of Portuguese players is essentially unknown.
Although he will not be yet 40 years old, he already has quite a pedigree.
Amorim led the Portuguese side to their first league title in 19 years at the age of just 36 after they won it in 2021, and this success led him to link up with a number of top clubs across Europe.
So what can Liverpool fans expect from Amorim, what’s his management style and does he have the personality to replace Klopp? BBC Sport is looking into this.
Amorim’s origins
Amorim, a former Benfica and Portugal midfielder, retired in 2018 and made his first name for himself as a coach the following yr, when a powerful spell as Braga’s reserve coach saw him promoted to first-team boss.
Ten wins in 13 games – including a primary against Benfica in 65 years – soon caught the eye of greater clubs, and Sporting were so keen to secure their services that (£8.6 million) to appoint him as their manager in March 2020.
It was the third-highest transfer fee paid to a manager, however it quickly proved to be well spent as Amorim led the club to a 32-game unbeaten run and won the Portuguese League Cup, ending an almost two-decade wait for the league title.
Former Liverpool and Portugal defender Abel Xavier frolicked with Amorim as he received his coaching badges and was immediately impressed by what he saw.
“He is very humble, discreet and has a very clear attitude,” he told the BBC World Service.
“In Braga we saw an immediate impact because having the same squad and the same players, he changed the team.
“He implemented his ideas, changed the dynamics, aroused empathy and of course a big club like Sporting Lisbon paid for him.
“The first thing this president said was that ‘we believe that the money I’m paying for Ruben Amorim will prevail and he will create value for young youth development players and deliver results’ and he was right.”
What style of football does Amorim play?
Amorim’s management style will be familiar to several Premier League players – Manchester City’s Matheus Nunes, Tottenham’s Pedro Porro and Fulham’s Joao Palhinha were part of his title-winning team in 2020/21.
At Sporting, the 39-year-old often preferred a 3-4-3 formation, playing in a low block with attacking wingers attacking high up the pitch.
Off the ball they play aggressively, very like Klopp’s Liverpool, and when in possession they counter-attack quickly.
“Ruben is a coach of high quality, one of the best in Portugal,” Palhinha told Portuguese outlet O Jogo.
“He has done a great job since Braga. He has an in-depth knowledge of the game and a close relationship with the players.”
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes can also be a fan.
“I think I have all the qualities to succeed in English, French or Spanish football,” he told SportTV.
“Of course we know that the Premier League is probably the most desired one. Quality [to succeed in England] they are spot on and in my opinion he has everything to take the next step.
Liverpool have relied on several young players this season – the likes of Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah have been playing regularly and impressing – so Reds fans will welcome the fact that youth development is also close to Amorim’s heart.
At Sporting, Nuno Mendes – currently with Paris St-Germain – was brought in from the academy to play a key role in their 2021 title win, while former Wolves youngster Pedro Goncalves has scored 23 goals this season. He has scored in double figures every season since Amorim.
“Sporting’s identity has always been youth development,” Xavier added.
“In recent years, before Ruben, they invested more and the club didn’t win anything. With the signing of Ruben, they returned to this identity.”
Perfect fit for Liverpool?
If Amorim becomes Liverpool manager, he will face the difficult task of constructing on Klopp’s success over his nine years at the club.
The German won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup during his time at Anfield and will win more trophies before he leaves.
However, European football journalist Guillem Balague believes that Amorim has the personality to rise to such a challenge.
“He has charisma, he speaks very good, very good English and he is very, very close to the players,” Balague said.
“I think he has all the qualities to be a very, very good manager. He wouldn’t be afraid and would be able to cope with anything Liverpool could offer him.”
Xavier, who joined Liverpool from Everton under Gerard Houllier, agrees.
“Liverpool’s philosophy has never been to sign the best players in the world,” he added.
“They can afford it, but under Klopp they want to have the best team in the world. I think Ruben’s approach is very similar. I played for Liverpool and I know exactly their mentality and identity.
“With great respect to Sporting Lisbon, I would like to see Amorim at Liverpool and I think it will be an important signing in terms of the importance of finding the right person after Klopp.”
Credit : www.bbc.co.uk
