“I like players with character” - Ruben Amorim hails ‘crazy’ Manchester United icon with message to current squad
Manchester United's new head coach, Ruben Amorim, has raved about Roy Keane's characteristics and suggested he wants to see similar playing traits from his players. The Red Devils are set for a new era under the Portuguese tactician, which starts this Sunday (November 24) against Ipswich Town.
The 13-time Premier League champions have suffered a catastrophic fall from grace since Keane's playing days. The fiery Irishman captained the club to seven titles during his career.
Manchester United have yet to win the title in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, which is in its 11th year. Amorim has a job on his hands trying to fix the situation, with his team sitting 14th in the league at the moment.
Amorim spoke to Keane's former United teammate, Gary Neville, ahead of his first game in charge. The iconic ex-captain namedropped Keane during their interview on Sky Sports:
"He was a player that I really liked. I know he was a little bit crazy but he was a massive player. I like players with character; I think they can improve; it's not just what Keane did on the pitch; it's the way he influenced others. I think that's very important in one player."
Amorim added:
"You must have this kind of player in the big clubs and I hope we will have in the future players like Roy Keane."
Manchester United's current squad's mentality was questioned throughout Erik ten Hag's reign at Old Trafford. Many feel the Red Devils lack a leader of Keane's ilk amid a glaring confidence issue.
Roy Keane warned Ruben Amorim that he'll need a lot of time to turn things around at Manchester United
Keane gave a grim verdict of Manchester United when he was asked about Amorim's appointment earlier this month. He suggested the Portuguese should have signed a longer deal than a two-and-a-half-year contract (via the source above):
"He should have signed a longer contract. There is a long way back for this team. This is an average Manchester United team. All the stats back that up. They are hit and miss - you never know which team will turn up. Not good."
The Red Devils made the worst start to a Premier League season under Ten Hag with four wins and as many defeats in 11 games. Amorim was in contrasting form at Sporting CP in Liga Portugal, overseeing 11 consecutive victories.
Keane is notoriously critical of United and how his former club has plummeted. He could get his first introduction to Amorim this Sunday as a pundit for the Ipswich game.