Coach Ruben Amorim admitted that he had doubts about his future at Manchester United in his first year in charge.
The Portuguese tactician will celebrate his one-year as head coach this weekend, when Man United visit Nottingham Forest, with the goal of consolidating their position in the top 4 of the Premier League.
Amorim has gone through a challenging 12 months since leaving Sporting to lead the "Red Devils". He saw the team finish 15th in the Premier League last season, lose in the Europa League final, and win just one of their first five games of the season.
These are the results that make Amorim wonder whether he can stay at the club for a full year.
"It's hard to say about that. Sometimes, there are very difficult moments. When they lose too many games, facing reality becomes extremely difficult. For me, it is especially difficult because this is Manchester United.
Our situation last season, when we put all our efforts into the Europa League without winning, it was really bad. There were times when I struggled a lot, and sometimes I felt like things didn't go as I wanted.
Today, it is the opposite. I felt and knew that this was the most correct decision of my life. I want to stay here, but to do that, I need to beat Nottingham Forest," Amorim said.
Amorim is enjoying a period of sublimation at Old Trafford, when the team won 5 out of the last 7 matches in the Premier League. Including victories over Chelsea and Liverpool, giving the "Red Devils" a solid chance to qualify for the European Cup next season.
However, Amorim still does not dare to affirm that the difficult period has really passed. "It's hard to say in advance. We need to think positively, but also prepare mentally for football ups and downs. We are not the team that I can tell you no, no, no, everything is completely fine.
Now we can lose this or that, but the important thing is to maintain our form. I believe in the players, and I think they also believe in me.
This belief will lead to victory. You can feel it, because it all says solidarity and trust in the coach" - the Man United captain shared.
After a year of ups and downs, Amorim has proven that courage lies not only in tactics, but also in how to face adversity. He did not hide his emotions, did not avoid pressure, but always smiled and continued to fight.
Man United under Amorim is not perfect, but has built confidence, spirit and clear direction. With the belief that everything could change, Amorim's smile would signal the opening of a new era at Old Trafford.
