The story of Ruben Amorim: Man Utd’s new manager branded the ‘second Special One’

Amorim had started out as a coaching intern at Casa Pia before taking full charge and guiding them to promotion on a minimal budget.

“As a coach, the most important thing for Ruben is to get a close relationship with his players,” adds Simao, who played for his friend at Casa Pia after recovering from a traffic accident in 2018 which left him in a coma.

“The accident was about the same time he was appointed coach at Casa Pia.

“Sometime later I sent him a message and said: ‘Look, what do you think about having me in your team?’ He said: ‘Please, we cannot mix our relationship. You were in a coma four months ago, you are 33, and you are an expensive player for Casa Pia.’

“Then, after one week, he messaged me to say: ‘Look, I want you in my team. Let’s make it happen.'”

It was not all plain sailing, however, and Simao remembers Amorim’s reaction when things did not go to plan.

“I have seen many times him getting angry because he wants to play well and win.”

One such occasion came following a defeat by Amora, managed at the time by Russiano – Amorim’s friend from childhood.

“It was very good to see a good friend again,” says Russiano. “We spoke and remembered the things when we were young. My team won 1-0!

“At Casa Pia he decided to play a different system and switched to 3-4-3. They went on a run that put them in first position.”

And with a nod back to Mourinho, Russiano adds: “He is the second ‘Special One’.”

Victor Seabra Franco, president of Casa Pia, says Amorim was paid an “insignificant” amount of money because of a tight budget and limited resources.

“I won’t mention the numbers, because they’re so small that it’s not worth mentioning them,” he adds.

“For the matches, which were at 3pm in Alentejo or Algarve, we would set off early in the morning. We trained at night. Ruben changed things and we started training in the morning.

“Sometimes there was no water, for example, but even with all the difficulties, there was a group, and Ruben – and those players liked Ruben.

“They did everything so that Casa Pia and Ruben could win.”

There were tears shed among the players when Amorim announced he was leaving Casa Pia after just one season.

“That’s the saddest memory of Ruben’s presence – the day he left Casa Pia,” says Seabra Franco.