'Ruthless' Ruben won't be all smiles as he gears up for first game at helm

"I CAN be ruthless when I have to be," said Ruben Amorim on Friday afternoon.

- STEVEN RAILSTON

United's new head coach was introduced to the press for the first time and made a convincing start to his media duties.

Amorim usually has a smile on his face - but warned he is not a soft touch.

"There are some places to have fun and some places to work hard," he explained. "I'm not like that kind of guy who wants to show he's the boss. I think they will feel it in the small details, that I can be the smiling one but then when we have a job to do, I will be a different person and they understand that."

Although there has been a wide smile on Amorim's face in almost every photo since he touched down in Manchester, his time at Old Trafford won't be all sunshine and rainbows.

The winter frost has coincided with his arrival and he must produce results in a busy festive period, but the 39-year-old strongly believes he is the 'right man at the right time! Amorim needs to transform the fortunes of a side that sit 13th in the Premier League, so he is bound to encounter challenges along the way but he doesn't lack self-confidence.

United believe they have hired one the finest young coaches in European football and a club source recently admitted his outstanding communication skills will be a helpful asset.