Ruben Amorim faced the media for the first time since becoming head coach of Manchester United.
It was a fascinating 45 minutes in his company during which he discussed, in both English and Portuguese, topics about his style, why he believes in these players and whether he can play with his idol and former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho. has spoken.
Amorim smiled a lot, but also showed that his character is also steely.
He is preparing to take charge of his first game in his new role at Ipswich Town on Sunday, where fans will be watching with interest to see what he has managed to implement on these players in such a short space of time.
In addition to his briefing with reporters, he also spoke to former Manchester United defender Gary Neville for an extensive chat for Sky Sports.
Mail Sport picks out five things we learned from those two media appearances by the charismatic new man in charge…
Don't let the smile fool you
Amorim has a distinctive smile, that's the first thing you notice.
It's infectious to those who come into contact with him, but you'd be wrong to assume that his cheerful appearance sometimes portrays him as a soft touch.
Amorim is fiercely competitive and also incredibly clear in its demands. He said that because he has been a top-level player before, he knows “all the tricks” and won't give players too much room to play with him or his coaches when it comes to playing the hard yards.
“First of all, I think we have to be better athletes. That's something you can acknowledge when we're here and we see the data,” he told Neville in the Sky Sports chat.
'When I say fitter, I don't mean being thinner or anything like that. It's the data. You have to understand the data to press high, what are the average meters you have to run, the sprints.
'You have all that data and you have to deal with it. So you already know your goal is to achieve that. You can run a lot, but if you don't understand the game, it doesn't matter. But the first thing about pressing high is that you have to be very fit and deal with the demands that high pressing brings.”
So are non-negotiables, we also learned what those are.
'You can say nice things, like work hard, be professional. You should be,” he said. 'This is Manchester United. At every club [you should be] but of course you can't run away from this.
'The goal is to think in terms of the team first. So I know that sometimes some guys will play in a different position, but they have to understand the position and fight for the team. As a former player I know every trick.'
However, it should be noted that at the age of 39 and as a player himself not far from the dressing room, Amorim can connect with many of United's stars in a way those who came before him often could not.
He knows how they think, knows how they operate on good days and bad days and there is also that unwavering loyalty to his players.
“I could lose my job before I throw a player under the bus,” he said. “But if he doesn't put the team first, I'll be the first to talk to the player.”
For all the players who are dialed in, think about the lines drawn in the sand. Now it's up to you.
FULL-BACKS, NO WINGERS, FOR WINGBACK ROLES
Ever since Amorim got the job and it became clear from the start that he would go with 3-4-3, the identity of who will play the wing-backs has been the source of fierce debate.
Wingers are synonymous with Manchester United, but many of their forwards who play wide have shown limited ability to move the other way when asked to defend.
It made Amorim's response to Marcel when asked particularly interesting as an insight into his thinking after just a few days of training.
He said he will 'probably start with wing-backs, because it is more difficult to teach a winger to defend.'
It should be noted that in the training footage released by United we saw Antony deployed as a right wing-back.
But if we take Amorim at his word for now, that means Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Amad Diallo, Mason Mount, Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund are all vying for just three places in the 3-4-3 formation. with Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui ready to get the nods wide.
During his press conference, it was also particularly interesting that Amorim fully believes in his system and that players who do not feel the same way will soon be let go.
“As a coach you have to choose one way or another, I always choose one hundred percent our way,” he said.
'I choose to take a little risk. I really believe in the way we play; they will believe too. There is no second way.
'We will adjust some players because we do not have a different profile. You may see the starting XI on Sunday and not feel much change, but you will see it in the play and the positioning or where they receive the ball.”
Garnacho the left full-back? Think again.
HE CAN HANDLE THE PRESSURE – AND MANAGE IT
“Call me naive,” he said with a grin on his face, “but I really believe I'm the right man at the right time.
'I could be wrong, but the earth will still turn, the sun will rise again. It doesn't matter. I truly believe I am the right man for this job.”
This was no blunder. A man bluffs his way to the top. Ruben Amorim is convinced he is the man who can finally take Manchester United back to the top.
Now they all say this on the honeymoon, you expect nothing less.
And maybe this is a recency bias, but when you observe Amorim, it's hard not to be impressed – and ultimately to believe him.
It's also important to note that he isn't afraid to go where other new managers might not dare, especially when it comes to confronting his superiors.
“We as a club have to set the standards and make that happen,” he told Neville when asked about Marcus Rashford and Casemiro heading to the United States during the international break.
“It's my decision whether they can rest for five days, or three days, or three days and you can't fly. This is something that we as a club have to decide.
'Would I set up a different structure? Of course.'
Amorim transformed Sporting into the dominant force in Portuguese football and he didn't get them there by worrying about who he might upset along the way.
His career so far has set him up for the biggest challenge of all, now it's up to him to show he can handle it and thrive in the spotlight, rather than shrink.
RUBENS CRUCIAL VETO
Erik ten Hag always talked about being 'in the same boat' with Ineos and the football board, especially when it came to recruitment.
We recently reported that funds for Amorim will be significantly reduced as a result of Ten Hag's lavish spending of over £600 million, but we have heard that any suggestion that he will not be consulted or allow a veto on signings is downright wrong.
'I think it all has to be together because if you come here as a coach and you have already chosen the players, you could be wrong because the club will be here for a long time and you as a coach don't know that. he said.
'We need to improve the recruitment process, the data. I think it's all right, but the final word should be up to the manager, not because it's your right, but because it's your responsibility.
“I have to understand the league and if everything is aligned, everyone is on the same page, we can buy and sell players.”
Sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox have been key recruitment drivers since their arrival, but see this as another line Amorim has drawn in the sand.
He will have the last word, that much is certain.
GET YOUR HOPE BOOTS, GUYS!
Footage from his early training sessions showed him making his players run up and down the pitch to regain possession in the drill to give it away.
They often do that in matches, he admitted, and if they continue to do so, the results will be just as shaky as before.
So in addition to the need to be 'better athletes', you can bet that Amorim and his coaching staff will be ruthless when it comes to the fitness levels of this group between now and the end of the season.
I hope the players have packed their running shoes…
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