- Ruben Amorim said he would like to go out for dinner with ‘crazy’ Roy Keane
- Keane responded on Sunday ahead of Man United’s away game at Ipswich Town
- Will Ruben Amorim be Man United’s saviour? LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Available wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes every Monday and Thursday
Roy Keane has insisted that Ruben Amorim will find managing Manchester United very different to anything he has experienced before.
Amorim, 39, has previously managed Casa Pia, Braga and, most recently, Sporting Lisbon – where he took charge of 231 matches and won five trophies.
Ahead of his first game as United boss, away at Ipswich Town on Sunday, Amorim claimed that he would like to go out for dinner with legendary ex-United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and former captain Roy Keane to help get a feel for the club.
That comment came up during a Sky Sports interview with Gary Neville, who asked Amorim: ‘Do you want me to pass on the invitation for Roy for dinner with him?’
Amorim replied: ‘Roy Keane? Yeah, he was a player that I really liked. I know he is a little bit crazy but he was a massive player and I like players with character.’
After watching Neville’s interview with Amorim, Keane gave his reaction from the Sky Sports studio at Portman Road.
New Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim (left) spoke to Gary Neville (right) on Sky Sports ahead of Sunday’s Premier League game away at Ipswich Town
Amorim said that he’d like to go out for dinner with ex-United captain Roy Keane (pictured)
Keane said: ‘If he wants to take me out for dinner and he wants to pay for it, listen, all well and good.
‘As an ex-player, we sit here and we want to give United credit. We want to see United competing near the top but they’ve got to earn that right.
‘Obviously, as ex-players, if United aren’t producing or players aren’t giving their all then we have to say it.
‘But I’d be delighted if he can get United competing near the top. It would be fantastic. But when the team aren’t competing and, as I said, not turning up every week, that’s the bit that gets to me.’
Keane added: ‘It’s a big job for him. He’s mentioned previous jobs… Sporting. I know he did a brilliant job at Sporting but the challenge of Sporting to Man United, to me, is chalk and cheese.
‘Yeah, it will be the same type of principles but trying to get Man United competing with Man City and Liverpool no doubt will be the biggest challenge he faces in his career.’
United have not been champions of England since Ferguson’s final season at the club in 2012-13.
There have since been six permanent managers at Old Trafford, including Amorim – who has signed a contract until June 2027.
Amorim is United’s sixth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired back in 2013
Keane warned Amorim that managing United will be very different to managing Sporting
United finished eighth in the Premier League last season under Erik ten Hag, who left Old Trafford having won 54.69 per cent of his 128 games in the United dugout.
‘It’s been a positive week from him,’ Keane said of Amorim’s build-up to Sunday’s trip to Ipswich.’ But the key is for him to win football matches.
‘He’s come to United. Gary mentioned the other managers in terms of their stats… 50-odd per cent win ratio.
‘But that won’t be enough to stay in the job because of what’s happening with what Pep at Man City over the past few years and what Liverpool are doing now.’
United have finished in the top four on five occasions during the post-Ferguson era. But they have also finished more than 30 points behind the champions four times during the same period.
