When Jürgen Klopp announced he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the campaign, everyone assumed the managerial merry-go-round would be galloping at break-neck speed all the way into next season. Since then, it’s slowed to a gentle canter.
By Alex Roberts
Xabi Alonso wants to continue his good work at Bayer Leverkusen, Xavi is set to stay at Barcelona, Julian Nagelsmann has committed himself to the German national team, and Liverpool have found their Klopp replacement in Arne Slot from Feyenoord.
Still, Sporting manager Rúben Amorim is making headlines, young Portuguese managers have a history of doing just that after all. It’s unclear where he may end up come the summer, but he remains one of the most interesting managers to come out of the country in a long time.
Unlike those that came before him, Amorim is winning trophies at Sporting. The Leões are a huge club, consistently playing continental football, but they’re forever third. FC Porto and city rivals, Benfica dominate domestically, especially since the turn of the century.
As a player, Amorim was a big fish in a small pond at Belenenses before making the move to Benfica, where he was more of a squad player. His versatility made him useful, Amorim was deployed as a midfielder, right-back and even a winger, but never nailed down a spot.
A loan move to Braga gave him consistent first-team football, but the Arcebispos decided against making the move permanent. After a second loan move to Qatari side Al-Wakrah SC, Amorim decided to call it quits on his playing career and turn his hand to management.
His first job was at Casa Pia, a small club based in Amorim’s hometown of Lisbon. Unfortunately for both parties, it didn’t last very long.
In January 2019, the team were deducted six points, and Amorim was suspended from all activity for one year after giving instructions during a match without having the required coaching level to do so. He resigned shortly after.
Eventually his ban was overturned, and Braga gave Amorim a second bite of the apple, appointing him as their reserve team manager. He wasn’t there for long, but this time it was a positive move. Just three months after taking over the reserves, Amorim was appointed first-team manager, replacing the dismissed Ricardo Sa Pinto in December 2019.
He was an instant revelation. In his very first game in charge of the club, Braga battered Amorim’s old side Belenenses 7-1. Just three weeks later, he won his first trophy, beating Porto 1-0 in the 2019-2020 Taça da Liga.
Amorim only lost twice during his time as Braga manager, both to Rangers in the Europa League. This rapid rise to prominence piqued Sporting’s interest and four months after his appointment as Braga manager, he made the switch.
After starting in early March, Amorim quickly adopted his now favoured 3-4-3 formation, turning Sporting’s poor season around by winning six and drawing three, only losing to city rivals Benfica and Porto before the end of the campaign.
During the off-season, Amorim perfected his now favourite formation. Amorim plays a 3–4–3, with two midfielders being responsible for protecting the defence, and emphasis on the attacking capabilities of the wing-backs.
Defending in a low block, Sporting’s players stay behind the line of the ball to keep a compact shape, prevent any potential shots from the edge of the box, and limit attacking opportunities.
The team use interchanging movements to distract the opposing defenders and create space for the attackers to capitalise on. They focus on exploiting the wings and half-spaces with players like Pedro Gonçalves playing inside.
The number nine presses hard, looking to create a space in the defensive line of the opposition that can be quickly attacked, in order to allow the man in possession to initially look for a vertical passing option.
And then, in his first full season at the helm, something incredible happened, Sporting won their first league title in 19 years. His young side took the Liga Portugal by storm, only losing once throughout the entire campaign, a 4-3 defeat to Benfica in the penultimate game of the season.
Sporting also got their hands on the Taça da Liga, beating holders Braga 1-0 in the final. Amorim was starting to earn a reputation as one of the most tactically astute young coaches on the continent.
Whether the notion of ‘second season syndrome’ is legitimate or not, Amorim’s 2021/22 wasn’t quite as successful. Sporting finished second, losing out to Porto by a measly six points. They did win another Taça da Liga, so the season wasn’t a total loss.
Being successful at a club the size of Sporting means the vultures will start to circle, and players will be picked off. Pedro Porro, Nuno Mendes, João Palhinha, and Matheus Nunes all left the club, either on loan or permanently.
Amorim had to rebuild, and transition was inevitable. As a result, Sporting finished fourth last season, their worst position under the young manager. Despite that, they had come a long way, and this season, all the pain has proved to be worth it.
Under the stewardship of captain Sebastián Coates, Gonçalo Inácio and Ousmane Diomande have proven to be two of the most exciting young defenders in the world. With fellow wonderkid Iván Fresneda joining last summer, they could be set up for quite some time, depending on the aforementioned vultures.
Hidemasa Morita and Morten Hjulmand have effortlessly filled the large, Manuel Ugarte shaped hole in Sporting’s midfield after the Uruguayan moved to Paris Saint Germain for €60 million.
Savvy transfer dealings have become a hallmark during Amorim’s time at the club, and they don’t get much savvier than the signing of Viktor Gyökeres from Championship side Coventry City.
The Swedish forward is one of the most in-form players on the planet having amassed an incredible 27 goals and 10 assists in 31 league appearances this season. His signature face-covering celebration has been embraced by young and old alike.
Sporting and Amorim have now won their second league title together and it may be the beginning of the end for a beautiful partnership. Should Amorim leave the club, whomever he joins will have gained a capable young coach with the ability to herald in a golden age.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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