Lot to do before Amorim's ideas take shape at Manchester United

"Ruud. Thank you," wrote Ruben Amorim on X, the post accompanied by a heart sign and a photograph of Ruud van N isterlrooy looking satisfied.

- Dhiman Sarkar

The Portuguese's appointment is Manchester United's first attempt at a clean break from the past. Erik ten Hag was given an extension by the same regime - a decision that was football's equivalent of falling upwards - but the Dutchman had been appointed before Jim Ratcliffe became a minority owner, David Brailsford a director, Omar Berrada, poached from Manchester City, chief executive and Dan Ashworth sporting director after being lured from Newcastle.

The international break gives Amorim, 39, time to get to know the club with a record 20 league titles from the inside before travelling to Ipswich for his first match on November 24.

Like with Alex Ferguson, Amorim has arrived at Manchester United after winning the league with a club outside the top two. But as has been seen with Louis van Gaal, appointed after his third-place finish in the 2014 World Cup, and Erik Ten Hag, whose Ajax were seconds from a Champions League final, what works with one team may not at Manchester United. Add to that Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, stars of the club's most successful period, never hesitating to shoot from the lip. And the global scrutiny being United's coach entails.

"I am not na'ive, I know it's going to be very, very different, very tough but I feel that I'm ready," Amorim has said.