Ruben Amorim gave Manchester United something different in press conference debut

Ruben Amorim was a tad late. Those of us earwigging in the front row could make out one final briefing from a press officer as they stood outside in front of the Jimmy Murphy Plaque.

Manchester United's chief communications officer, Toby Craig, and Tom Crotty, the Ineos communications director, entered the room seconds before Amorim. His confident Q&A suggests he does not require any PR management.

When he eventually strode in, it was déjà vu. Handsome, hirsute, a stylish stubble and clad in the same tracksuit, there were shades of Ruud van Nistelrooy's entrance for his maiden press conference in the same room three weeks earlier.

The audience was considerably larger for Amorim. A quick head-count suggested 34 journalists. "Hi guys," Amorim said as he breezed in.

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There was no choreographed handshake for regulars on the front row, as there was from Erik ten Hag two and a half years ago. Amorim clasped hands with some of the nine Portuguese journalists at the end of his 30-minute introduction.

He is a coach who needs no introduction. We have seen plenty of him in recent weeks through press conferences in Lisbon and his tour of Old Trafford. Dozens of newspaper pages have been dedicated to him and journalists were dispatched to Lisbon to discover more about United's youngest manager (or head coach) since 1969.

A Portuguese contact assured me on Thursday Amorim would answer every question and he did. At length. For us transcribers, he is a nightmare. His command of English is so impeccable and he is such a vibrant personality he talks so quickly it is impossible to keep up.

Like the last Portuguese manager to hold court at Carrington, Amorim is quotable. "We have to be better running back. I think that is clear for everybody!" He said it with a smile, his body language defusing the asperity of his delivery.

Amorim smiles a lot. That warmth will serve him well. Ten Hag was a gruff disciplinarian and the right man at the right time to restore authority to the United manager's role. But his lack of charisma - on camera - meant there was nothing to fall back on when things went south.

Ineos have demanded Amorim be billed as head coach but man-management is just as important as the coaching. With his Latino tan, full-beam smile and trimmed beard you could light a match with, he will be an empathetic sounding board for the players.

He is one of the few who believes in them. "I know you guys don’t believe a lot in these players! But I believe a lot. We have room to improve, I want to try new things, you guys think it’s not possible, I think it’s possible. We will see in the end.

"You have to believe and I believe in them, because when I start this week, you can say it’s one week, three trainings, you change the coach, of course everybody is excited, but they are open to different things. It’s the only thing I ask: hard work and you have to believe in the new idea. And I felt that, Until they prove me wrong, I believe in the players.

"It’s a belief, like the work, you have to believe and I believe in them, because when I start this week, you can say it’s one week, three trainings, you change the coach, of course everybody is excited, but they are open to different things. It’s the only thing I ask: hard work and you have to believe in the new idea. And I felt that. Until they prove me wrong, I believe in the players."

There was a mischievous glint with the reference to "you guys". The Portuguese contact added that Amorim tends to joke. He did with only his second answer.

He is completely at ease in front of the cameras. The majority of the post-Ferguson managers have not been. Amorim is more Van Gaal or Mourinho than Moyes or Solskjaer or Ten Hag. The latter three were at their best away from the cameras in San Carlo on King Street, the opulent surroundings of a Perth hotel or over tapas in Cadiz.

Amorim spoke warmly about his rapport with Mourinho and fondly recalled his week at Carrington in April 2018. But "I'm a different guy," he stressed. Yet just as headstrong.

The topic of recruitment confirmed that. "I have to have a strong position on that because I am the coach, I know how to play, so I think it’s all together but the final word should be the manager." Viktor Gyokeres was mentioned during the Portuguese section.

"Viktor Gyökeres is a Sporting player, he’s got a game today and I hope he plays well, doesn’t get injured and is successful at Sporting." Scanning the transcript, Amorim reserved his most quotable lines when he was speaking English.

The minor lateness was more than forgivable.