Ruben Amorim insisted that he would like Manchester United challenge for the Premier League next season, and refuses to maintain the idea that it will build in this way for several years.
United is on course for the lowest Premier League end to end a turbulent season on and off the field that falls far beyond the eighth place of the last term.
Since the consistency is still difficult to end after a run of four Premier League games without defeat on Tuesday evening from Nottingham Forest, United is probably in the lower half of the table for the first time since 1989/90. Each under 13 and it would be a worst placement since relegation from the top flight in 1974.
But the demand for Amorim, as with all of its predecessors, delivers important trophies. United has still recorded silverware lately than most clubs, but the league is the bread and the butter and there was no real challenge since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
Although a squad is being rebuilt to offer Amorim players better for his tactical system, the Portuguese coach does not want to hide behind excuses in order to need time – he recently admitted that the time is something he does not believe that he would have it.
“I don’t want to believe that we need many years to be competitive. I can’t think so, I can’t do it, it is not in me. So I’m looking for pressure on myself,” he said this week.
Amorim added that United will not realistically be the “biggest challengers in the next or two years”, but would still like to record enormous improvements until then. If he reads between the lines, it is too long after four years, he aims at 2027/28. This is also related to leading employees with blueprints in order to coordinate the 21st title of the club with the 150th anniversary.
“We change many things in the club and we know that it will take a lot of time, but I will not say that I need it for many years,” the coach continued.
“Next year is our goal. I do not say that we will win the title next year, I’m not crazy. I say that I don’t want to need this conversation that we need for many years and let it keep us calm – no, we are in a hurry. We suffer a lot for the next year.
“I don’t want to be the guy who sits and says we need a lot of time. I will not be this coach. All teams, they are already in a place where we need a lot to catch them and you will improve again next season. I would like to concentrate on our strengths and then use our club to bring in one or two big players.
“I can’t manage to say something in four years, we will still try something. We will start for me next season. We have to be so much better because this is a massive club and I would like to put this pressure on me and everyone here.”