Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has admitted he has been in regular contact with legendary former manager Sir Alex Ferguson since his arrival at Old Trafford.
Ferguson retired in 2013 after winning his 13th Premier League title, ending a history-changing reign that began in 1986, although he got off to an infamously rocky start.
The Scot, now 83, remains a regular presence at Old Trafford as a director, even after his ambassadorial salary was cut amid austerity measures.
Amorim is the sixth permanent boss appointed in the almost 12 years since Ferguson’s resignation and none of the other five have been able to meet the standards previously set.
The Portuguese, who is about to turn 40 and is still early in his managerial career, has shown a willingness to utilize Ferguson’s knowledge and experience.
“I speak to Sir Alex several times. I try to call him to stay positive,” Amorim said BBC Radio 5 Live over the course of another challenging weekend for the team.
“It’s really good because I can relate to the history of the club, but it’s really hard to be the man leading the team at this moment because they’ve done such a good job. It’s really hard, but we have to believe in it.”
When Amorim faced the press after the 3-1 defeat, he was open and honest about United’s shortcomings, even suggesting that his team might be the worst in the club’s 147-year history. He is also determined to stick to his own tactical system and principles, even if he himself admits that it was almost impossible for the players to get used to it in the middle of the season and had minimal opportunities to train.