by JeffBet | Date of Publishing: 18 November 2024
Speaking exclusively with JeffBet, former Premier League defender and Portugal winner Jose Fonte said that countryman Ruben Amorim will take no nonsense from Man Utd stars.
Fonte has also tipped former team-mate Virgil van Dijk to be playing at the highest level beyond the age of 40 – but picked out Newcastle’s Sven Botman as a potential replacement for Liverpool as his contract runs down.
The Euro 2016 winner has also told fans to expect to see Cristiano Ronaldo playing at the 2026 World Cup at the age of 41, but not to expect to see him move into management.
JF: “Ruben Amorim’s move to Manchester United is great for Portuguese football. He’s joined a huge club in Manchester United and I believe that he has all the attributes to succeed in the job.
“He’s very thorough. He’s very focused on attention to detail but he’s also an honest guy and he’s direct.
“He has played at a very, very good level. He knows what he’s doing. Now I’m just looking forward to seeing how he develops as a coach.
“He’s got a big task at hand, obviously with a lot of pressure, but the job that he did in Sporting was just incredible. He turned that club around and he brought success and titles – he can do the same at Manchester United.”
JF: “There are similarities between Sporting and Manchester United and the time in which he took over. Sporting hadn’t won a league title since 2001 before he arrived and the supporters were thirsty for league titles but the club wasn’t in a great condition.
“He was given a little bit of time to change a few things and that’s what he did alongside the president, now Sporting are the reference for all other teams in Portugal.
“It’s just incredible what they were able to achieve in such a short period of time. Six years, if you think about it in the grand scheme of things, it’s not an extraordinary amount of time.
“So for him to be able to win two league titles and a couple more trophies and to be performing in the Champions League. It’s just amazing.”
JF: “Ruben Amorim was a very, very decent player. A clever player in midfield, his career was somewhat impacted by injuries but he was intelligent and appreciated, you hear about these things in the dressing room.
“He’s a guy with a big character and good personality. He is direct and honest and that’s what you need from a manager.”
JF: “Ruben Amorim won’t take any nonsense as a player, he is a good guy that likes to have a laugh but when you have to work, you work.
“He can be demanding, as my former team-mate Luis Neto has told me who worked with him for many years. He was telling me that Amorim is an unbelievable coach, but he’s so demanding and so focused on tactical and attention to detail that it can wear on you a little bit – but not in a bad way.
“It’s very, very demanding. It’s very full on. But if you want to be successful, you’ve got to do that. That’s what’s going to separate you from the others.”
JF: “In football terms, Portugal and England are two completely different worlds. There is nothing like the Premier League. The Premier League is the jungle. It’s kill or be killed. It’s survival of the fittest. It’s as simple as that.
“Any team in the Premier League can hurt you from top to bottom. In Portugal it’s competitive. It’s a decent league. It’s a good level, but the difference in budget from Sporting, Benfica and Porto to the others is so much bigger than the difference from Man City or Chelsea or Arsenal to West Ham or Southampton.
“Look at West Ham’s squad, it’s packed with quality. In Portugal you have to be much more creative and you have to find players that nobody knows so they are still cheap.
“I know that the challenge will be bigger in the Premier League. Manchester United, they have to win, they need to win trophies. He is also coming in during the middle of a season which is another challenge because he hasn’t had a pre-season.
“The positivity around the club and around Ruben Amorim will help. He will implement his system that the players won’t be used to but he is the master at it.
“His Sporting team is one of the toughest I have faced, they can hurt you in behind, they can hurt you in between the lines, they are so well drilled.
“Their reaction to loose balls is amazing, they have width, they are fast in the build-up, I really think he has got the players at Manchester United to do the same. He has quality players to work with and given some time, we will see his philosophy coming through.”
JF: “Ruben Amorim has clashed with players in the past, one I remember is Islam Slimani, the former Leicester striker, when he was at Sporting.
“He had a big personality and when he upset the manager, he was training with the reserve team and was quickly out of the door. With Amorim it’s his way or no way.
“He believes fully in what he does and he puts the good of the team first. His players have to respect that and if they don’t then they will be out the door. He won’t take any nonsense.”
JF: “Playing against a Ruben Amorim team is a puzzle, for the last few years teams in Portugal have been trying to figure that out, but it’s difficult.
“Sporting have a very good defensive transition, they either win the ball back or make a foul so they can get back into their shape. They do spend a lot of time in the opponent’s half so they can get exposed in behind, but their central defenders have so much pace which gives you that security.
“If you look at the stats, Sporting don’t concede a lot of goals. That’s credit to the reaction of the team when they lose the ball. They’re very aggressive. They spend most of the game in possession and It’s just a difficult system to play against.
“Amorim developed that and he will need time to adjust at Manchester United and time to see who will fit into his system.”
JF: “Ruben Amiron will have been analysing Manchester United’s players since as soon as he thought the job may be a possibility.
“He will have been spending hours studying the players but will also give everyone a chance to impress him on the training ground. It might take three or four games to get his best XI but it will be interesting to see how he works it out.”
JF: “I think it will be tougher for Viktor Gyokeres, that’s for sure. It will be tougher for him in the Premier League because you encounter better athletes and top level defenders.
“Having said that, he’s a great player. He’s a guy whose work rate is immense. I’ve never seen a striker that works so hard off the ball, making movements constantly.
“He has good hold up play because he’s tall and strong and his desire to score is impressive. He always wants to score. He always believes that the ball is going to drop to him.
“He’s had a tremendous couple of seasons in Portugal, but would find things a lot tougher in the Premier League.”
JF: “Portuguese clubs have got no option but to sell for the right price. We need to sell. Portuguese clubs have to sell one or two players every season.
“We don’t have the same TV rights as the Premier League so we don’t have the capacity to hold on to players.
“It would be lovely to see Portugal with a little bit more capacity to hold on to their talent, of course. That’s what people in the various federations are trying to do.
“Sporting will listen and they will probably have to sell Viktor Gyokeres because Portuguese clubs have to raise big money every year.”
JF: “Ruben Amorim will play with his three centre backs, two wing backs, two holding midfielders and two number 10s behind the striker.
“The number 10s are dynamic and will also adapt to allow the wing backs into central positions. Sporting have been beautiful to watch and score amazing team goals, if he can do the same at Manchester United then they will be a force.”
JF: “Bruno Fernandes can play two roles in Ruben Amorim’s system, both as a central midfielder and as one of the number 10s.
“He could play deeper because he loves to play long passes, but then again the closer you have him to goal the more goals he will score.
“I think in one of the new 10 positions he would be at his very best, he can play deeper but you want him scoring goals.”
JF: “Jadon Sancho will get a chance to impress Ruben Amorim in the summer because it’s a fresh start and a new opportunity for everyone.
“Something might click between him and Amorim because he knows exactly what he wants from his players in every area of the pitch.
“He also likes to give the 10s the freedom to be creative and that’s exactly what Sancho needs. It could be a great opportunity for him.”
JF: “I think that Matthijs de Ligt can reach another level under Ruben Amorim. I think he can step up to a really high level and I can see him being more consistent.”
JF: “Virgil van Dijk is one of the best defenders in Premier League history without a doubt. What he has done is incredible.
“It’s great to hear his name in that conversation because I had the pleasure to play alongside him, he looks back to his very best now with Liverpool.
“My son even prefers Van Dijk to me! He has a Van Dijk shirt on his bedroom wall but not one of mine, maybe that says a lot about how incredible Van Dijk has been.”
JF: “I’d back Virgil van Dijk to play into his 40s because although he still has pace, he would be able to adapt in his positioning and anticipate the game even better as years go on.
“If he stays healthy with no injuries he’ll be able to play into his 40s, it’ll just be about what he wants to do with his career because it can be very draining to play at the highest level.
“You have to put in so much work everyday. But physically he is a monster, one of the best specimens I’ve seen.
“As a centre back he wins all his headers, wins all his duels fast, he’s good on the ball, he’s a complete player.”.
JF: “As long as Virgil van Dijk is on the pitch performing and doing well, which he and Liverpool, he’ll be very comfortable. He’ll be very happy because he’s in a great position.
“Two things could happen, he will either sign a great contract with Liverpool or he will move on to another great club because who doesn’t want to have Virgil?
“So he’s in a great situation. All he needs to focus on is being on the pitch, performing. The team is winning. Fantastic. Happy days. The big contract is coming.”
JF: “As good as Virgil van Dijk is, it’s not impossible to replace him at Liverpool because there is always talent coming through, this is just football.
“It would be impossible to be the very same as Van Dijk, but a good player will come along and might be an amazing player as well.
“Liverpool would have to be very clever in trying to fill his boots and they will find someone who can replicate what he does – but they might have to pay the money.”
JF: “I’d love to see Sven Botman replace Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool and I think he has the ability to do it.
“We won the league together in France and like Van Dijk, he is a monster. He is tall, very good in duels, he plays as the left centre back, he loves a tackle, he’s aggressive and still young.
“I just hope that he can continue his progress after his injury and stay healthy, if he does that then I’m sure he’ll be considered by Liverpool.”
JF: “I was surprised to see Joachim Andersen leave Crystal Palace but I suppose they are not in the greatest financial position and Fulham gave him the chance to stay in London.
“It can also be seen as an upgrade because Fulham are moving onwards and upwards, they have a great manager in Marco Silva and a fantastic squad, look at Emile Smith Rowe and Alex Iwobi.
“They lost Joao Palhinha but have brought in some real quality. Fulham are a great club. A great club to play for at the moment I think.”
JF: “I have to be honest, I’m not a fan of Julen Lopetegui’s style. I haven’t seen enough from West Ham this season. He hasn’t impressed me.
“Hopefully he can prove me wrong because I’m a positive guy. I always want the best for my former clubs, I enjoyed my time there even though it wasn’t the greatest time on the pitch, but I appreciate them a lot and I have my doubts about Lopetegui.
“I’m not sure all the players will buy into his style, I hope that he can improve given time but I’m not so sure. It’s not been great so far and I think West Ham fans will agree with that.”
JF: “I’m glad to see Southampton get the first win out of the way, hopefully they can take confidence in that going forward then it was a tough game against Wolves.
“One thing I love about Russell Martin is that he has a clear philosophy. He has his way of playing and this is important. Everyone knows exactly how he wants you to play.
“My concern is that I just don’t know if they have the quality and the goals to stay in the Premier League when it comes to scoring goals and being able to hurt defences.
“It’s never easy in the Premier League but we know they can play good football, it’s just about finding that consistency. I like Russell a lot and hope they can find a way.”
JF: “I think it’s a real possibility that Cristiano Ronaldo will be playing at the World Cup in 2026.
“His desire, his willingness to work and his professionalism as we all know is incredible, it really is second to none.
“He’s still scoring important goals in the national team and hasn’t shown signs of slowing down, he’s not the same player that scored 70 goals in a season for Real Madrid of course, but he is still such a dangerous striker, it’s as simple as that.
“He is an inspiration and one of the greatest players in the history of the game, it’s still incredible the level he is playing at. We will never see what he and Lionel Messi have done ever again.”
JF: “I see him more as an owner than a manager. I think that is the path he will go down when he retires from playing.”
JF: “Pedro Neto has been a great signing for Chelsea, he has blistering pace, he’s skillful, he’s direct, I’m pleased to see him doing so far.
“He has found his feet, he looks comfortable, he looks happy. I’m just pleased for him because he had a couple of difficult injuries in his knee.
“To be able to see him at this level again is great, obviously we’ve been together with the national team and I really like him as a football player and as a person.”
JF: “Nuno Tavares has matured as a player. He has experience in France and now in Italy, those experiences are so important and he is getting better, he looks composed now.
“His life outside football is stable and when you get that the performances start speaking for themselves.
“He has an engine that lasts for days. He gets up and down the pitch, has blistering pace and can use both feet, he’s a great player and I’m very pleased for him that he’s doing so well. He has a big future.”
JF: “From my point of view, England should have an English manager, Portugal should have a Portuguese manager and so on.
“It’s about nations against nationals and some countries are strict about that when others are not so much.
“Having said that, Thomas Tuchel was the best coach available and he has managed some huge clubs, he has a very good reputation for a reason.
“Whether it works out, we’ll have to wait and see. What I don’t understand is why he wasn’t brought in until January. But my opinion is that England should have an English coach.”
JF: “Neil Warnock is the sort of manager who can turn clubs around in the Championship because he can get the best out of his players.
“He’s one of the most influential coaches I’ve had. He changed me in a way. He instilled aggressiveness in my game and made me realise that the English game is completely different from the Portuguese game.
“If you can imagine in 2007 when I arrived in England in the Championship under Neil Warnock, football was very different from what it is now.
“So I’m forever grateful to Neil. I believe in his qualities as a manager. I believe that he’s one of the greatest managers when it comes to getting the best out of his players. That’s for sure.
“He has this way of speaking to players and making players believe that they are perhaps more than what they really are. And perhaps Hull or Cardiff need that.”
Author: JeffBet
JeffBet is an online gambling company founded in 2022. Its product offerings are online casino, online slots, live dealer games, table games and sports betting. The organisation holds regulatory gambling licenses in the UK and Malta.
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