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Inside Ruben Amorim's new Man Utd regime: Training, tactics and surprise 12-minute rule

New Manchester United manager lifts the lid on how he tries to get the best out of his players during a hectic domestic and European fixture schedule

[Ruben Amorim and Manchester United players in training]

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Even if his players are recovering from a match, Ruben Amorim will have a game of walking football to help get his tactical messages across(Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United FC)

When Ruben Amorim said one of his main priorities was to greatly improve the physical fitness of his Manchester United squad, he was talking long-term. Amorim knows he cannot run his players into the training ground amidst a hectic schedule of fixtures.

When the new United manager is reminded that, in his first six weeks in charge, his side will play TWELVE matches, he breaks into a rueful smile. How will players step up fitness work if they are spending most of the time recovering?

We have to use games, says Amorim. The guys who are playing push more. We push the guys to the limit in games.

Players returning from injury, such as Luke Shaw, will do physical work on the training ground ahead of the Premier League match against Everton at Old Trafford but all of Amorims work will be tactical. But that does not mean Uniteds likely squad for the Everton match will not be out through their paces ahead of Sunday.

That is because, as part of his routines, Amorim likes to play walking football. He explained: Imagine being in an indoor stadium. Instead of video, we do it like walking - and jogging. Its a way to do it. If you cannot run, you can jog.

Then we have all the staff. For example, Carlos (Fernandes, his assistant coach) is with the strikers. They will show individual moments. Everyone has a job in the staff and they are more important maybe than me!

Whether they are walking or jogging or running, Amorim likes to get his player out on to the training pitch - indoors or outdoors - because he is not a huge fan of deep analysis of videos. In fact, the former Benfica midfielder has a golden rule when it comes to having video sessions with his men.

I was a football player, he laughs. Videos more than 12 minutes? Forget it! Because of concentration. We show some video but we go on the pitch.

[Ruben Amorim, Manager of Manchester United, speaks to the media during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 press conference at Carrington Training Ground]

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Ruben Amorim could not help but laugh when explaining why he does not bother with any tactical video work that goes beyond the 12-minute mark(Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

[Liam Delap clashes with Noussair Mazraoui and Amad Diallo]

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Noussair Mazraoui, pictured clashing with Liam Delap at Ipswich last Sunday, has already impressed Ruben Amorim and the fact he ended up at centre-half against Bodo shows the United manager's tactical flexibility(Image: Richard Pelham)

After two matches at the helm, Amorims tactical changes have been fascinating and he has certainly not been wedded to a strict 3-4-2 formation. He has also used a variety of players in the wide roles that are so crucial to his systems. And this is what he looks for in the wing-back role.

What I want is a good one against one to open the field to play and close the field when we lose the ball, he says.

The structure is more fluid than you guys think. Against Bodo, we finished without any centre-backs so it was (Noussair) Mazraoui and Luke Shaw. I think it is more about the characteristics of the players and not the position of the players.

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