Ruben Amorim walked into the door of Manchester United 12 months ago with a bright smile, admitting that he is a dreamy person. However, not long after, the dream quickly turned into a nightmare when the Portuguese coach had to face the harsh reality at Old Trafford.
Amorim's honeymoon week is perhaps the shortest in the fans' memory. Portman Road was packed with spectators that day, all eagerly waiting for his first match as Man United head coach, in the away match against Ipswich Town.
And when Marcus Rashford scored after just 81 seconds, after a spectacular acceleration and then an emotional finish that devastated Ipswich's defense, the atmosphere in the stands became explosive.
Then things started to get worse. Man United could not win Amorim's debut match when they had to leave with a disappointing 1-1 draw. The campfire ended, but the fire at Old Trafford flared up more fiercely than ever. For many months after that, Amorim seems to have continued to add fuel to the fire he created himself.
The Portuguese captain was determined to the extreme. He adheres to his football philosophy, almost obsessed with tactical implementation. The problem is that he does not have the players who are capable or confident enough to make that ideal come true.
During Christmas and New Year, the "Red Devils" fell into a series of 6 matches without knowing the taste of victory. The situation has gotten worse since April 1, when Amorim's side continued to decline with seven consecutive games without a win.
And those who were considered the most mistaken at Old Trafford at that time seemed to be Amorim and the person who appointed him - Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Amorim can justify himself with many reasons, although he rarely does so.
He took on the job at an unwanted time - right in the middle of the season, when he had no time to prepare and had not really understood the lineup. In fact, Amorim wanted to start his reign in the summer of 2025.
However, Ratcliffe was determined to bring him back immediately. Worse, Amorim had to inherit a team that had cracked from within - a toxic dressing room and lack of confidence - making all of his initial efforts almost impossible.
The peak of the crisis came when Man United could not win a place in the European Cup, let alone compete for titles. Amorim was then faced with an increasingly intense wave of speculation about his chances of being sacked. The situation was so bad that he was forced to directly intervene to prevent 5 players - who publicly wanted to leave the team - from dropping out of training before the new season preparation stage.
That "Bomb Squad" lineup coincidentally included Rashford - who gave Amorim his dream start at Suffolk. Now, Rashford has left, along with Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho - names that were once expected to be the future of Man United.
In general, for nearly a year, Amorim has never hesitated to take strong action when it comes to eliminating the dividers in the dressing room. Amorim is honest - perhaps too honest - even to himself and to his fans.
He frankly warned that dark days are still ahead. He said his Man United could be the "worst team in the club's history" having fought for a relegation spot. Amorim even admitted that he was ashamed of his long failed streak.
Amorim has even suggested resigning if Ratcliffe and his colleagues feel they have made serious mistakes. But Ratcliffe was determined. The British billionaire has absolute confidence and insists Amorim deserves time to get the English giants back to the top.
Now, when celebrating a year in the hot seat at Old Trafford, Amorim can smile. The signs of revival are clear. His Man United just defeated defending champions Liverpool right at Anfield - a symbolic victory for the return of confidence.
And after 3 consecutive victories in the Premier League, Man United have risen to sixth place, only 6 points behind leaders Arsenal. This is a turbulent journey - enough to make those attached to the "Red Devils" dizzy.
However, amid those ups and downs, Amorim has proven that he is brave enough to stand firm. He did not promise miracles, only brought faith, discipline and fighting spirit.
From the rubble of the past 12 months, Amorim is gradually rebuilding a Man United that can make all the pain he has gone through worth it. Perhaps, that is the beginning of something bigger at Old Trafford.
