As a Sporting CP fan, I’d advise not getting your hopes too high initially. Ruben Amorim is a talented coach, but he’s also quite stubborn, and his tactical system can be complex for players to grasp right away. You’ll need to be patient—both for him to adapt to the Premier League and for the squad to fully understand his ideas. The winter and, more importantly, the summer transfer windows will be crucial for fine-tuning the squad.
During his time at Sporting CP, the tactical evolution was remarkable. However, the early months weren’t smooth. The real game-changer was the defensive solidity that led to his first league title. In his second season, player departures held back further progress. But by last year, his offensive ideas had started to take root, and the team became a nightmare for opponents despite having a short squad.
He might try to bring players like Nuno Mendes and Pedro Porro - key to his first title-winning team. Pedro Gonçalves could also be on his radar, given his importance in Sporting's setup (it is his favourite player).
The initial months will be about assessing the current squad. Players who don’t commit to the system or training standards, regardless of status, will be cur out from the squad - he values effort, adaptability and team work. The guy doesn't care about the reputation of players. When he arrived he cut out Marcus Acuña which was one of the top players and used Nuno Mendes, who was 17 at the time. Later, he cut out Mathieu which was a fan favourite and started with Gonçalo Inácio and even Eduardo Quaresma.
At Sporting, he didn’t control transfers; the scouts worked to find players fitting his vision. Yet, he occasionally made specific requests. Not always the best option. Ricardo Esgaio was a specific request and he was horrible. The same happen with Paulinho that only develop his full potential last season.
Give him time and trust him.
Great post. Thanks!