Amorim: ‘Lot of mistakes’ at Man United, Leao a Milan player ‘until something happens’

Milan coach Ruben Amorim admits he made ‘a lot of mistakes’ at Manchester United and it ‘wasn’t just their fault’ but is eager to bring the Rossoneri to a ‘different level’ and refuses to rule out Rafael Leao’s exit.

Amorim spoke to the media in Perth, Australia, where Milan arrived on Monday to prepare for a friendly tournament which will also involve Milan, Inter and Serie B side Palermo.

It was the second time the Portuguese coach addressed the media following his unveiling press conference earlier this month.

“They signed me because they felt I was the right guy for the way I want to play,” he said.

“They want to play the same way, but I think they signed me not just for my success, but also for my experience with a top club like Manchester United and the reflections I shared in our meetings with Mr Cardinale.

“They understood that I was prepared for this job, not just because of my past success, but also because of my failures. I think it helped a lot in those meetings.”

Ruben Amorim prior to a pre-season firiendly between Celtic and Milan at Celtic Park (via www.acmilan.com)

Amorim was asked about his time at Manchester United and what went wrong for him at Old Trafford.

“The first thing is that it doesn’t matter anymore. That is the feeling. There’s a history, then something happens, the context changes, and you focus on the next challenge. I learned a lot,” he added.

“It would be hard to point to one thing, but the important thing that I clearly know is that I made a lot of mistakes. When you do this kind of reflection, and you understand that it was not just their fault, but also my fault, I think you can be a better coach and a better man.

“When you are the Milan coach, there are things you need to do. Then I think I felt a bit of pressure from my staff. They told me that here it is different and you need to present yourself in a different way,” Amorim continued.

“Milan is the city of fashion so you need to represent your city in the best way. We need to respect the history of our club, and part of the history of our club is not just the way you play but also how you represent yourself and the city. I’ll do that.

“I was really honoured to be the manager of Man United at the time, but now I’m at Milan. I spoke with some people at the club, like Massaro and Baresi; we exchanged messages. That is the most important thing. To understand what kind of club I am and what the history of the club is,” Amorim added.

“For me, it was easier this time, because I’ve been a Milan fan since I was a boy. I understand the culture of the club and their history. But that is the past. Our goal is to be the new future. They chose me for a reason, and one of the reasons is that I like to look at teams that are struggling. I know it’s tough, but we want to rebuild something. We have many things in a good place. The staff is in a good place; the organisation is fantastic. If this is my final destination, I’ll be pleased because it’s a dream to coach this club.

Milan have recently announced Luka Modric’s contract extension until 2027.

The Croatian tactician has already spent one season at San Siro.

“What I saw last year was a player who can still play at high levels. He did well during the season and also during the World Cup,” Amorim said.

“I think we need experience. As you can see, we are bringing in a lot of young players, and for them to succeed, we also need to provide experience around them. It’s really important, and we made a big effort to continue to have Luka in our squad. I think he’s really happy. We are talking about Milan. I think everyone wants to play in a club like ours, so we need to step up and play better, play well, in order to reach a different level.”

Last but not least, Amorim answered a question about the future of Rafael Leao, who has received approaches from Turkish clubs, particularly Fenerbahce.

“It’s not overcomplicated. For me, the team is the most important thing. I’m going to speak with Rafa, Ramos, Saelemaekers, and all the players who are returning from the World Cup,” Amorim said.

“They all know what it means to play for a club like ours. I know there’s a lot of speculation around our players, but they are our players until something happens. Again, the goal is to prepare the team for the first game. All the players are going to train and fight for their place to play that game. That is for sure. It’s nothing new or different. I treat players differently because they are different people, but in the end, the rules are for everyone, so it’s quite simple. Let’s not overcomplicate. We must train, enjoy, help the community, share a lot of things with our fans and prepare for the season.”