Ruben Amorim’s press conferences often see him use the word suffer. His Manchester United team do not merely concede, but instead “suffer a goal”. When he was first installed as head coach in November, he spoke of how this group of players would have to suffer for a while, while they got to grips with his tactical system.
Amorim is not the first football coach to lean on the word when articulating matters. Diego Simeone once said “the suffering is necessary” when describing Atletico Madrid’s approach to defending. Ahead of the 2021 Women’s Champions League Final, Emma Haynes said her Chelsea team were prepared to suffer and spend large stretches of the match without possession.
Most football coaches tend to wait until April or May to talk about the need for suffering when the hunt for silverware begins to peak and games gain additional importance. Amorim is taking a different approach to leading United; if they are to return to the summit of English football, then his players need to be willing to suffer now, in midwinter.
Sunday’s victory over Arsenal in the FA Cup made for compelling evidence that his message is beginning to get across. Amorim’s preferred tactical approach is not the most seamless fit for the 2024-25 squad, but at the Emirates, several players…
