Tribal Football

Sporting CP coach Amorim: No squad revolt over Man Utd news; but players are anxious

Paul Vegas
Sporting CP coach Amorim: No squad revolt over Man Utd news; but players are anxious
Sporting CP coach Amorim: No squad revolt over Man Utd news; but players are anxiousAction Plus
Sporting CP coach Ruben Amorim concedes his players have been affected by the news he's set to leave for Manchester United.

Sporting and United are now haggling over a fee for Amorim's coaching staff and when he will be released from his contract.

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“I felt the players were different during the meeting because I couldn't say everything was fine, that nobody reads the news or feels anxiety,” Amorim said ahead of the visit of Nacional tonight. “I know my players feel anxiety.

“There was no revolt; I'm capable of handling revolts, and there were revolts when I arrived here with all the problems. There aren't any now. They know me very well. I'm honest with you when I say they weren't themselves.

“Reading the news, I realised they were nervous, anxious. We have a series of very complicated games ahead; it's not going to stay like this. That's why I said it, but there was clearly no revolt. I didn't need (Sporting captain) Morten (Hjulmand) to hold back his team-mates because I handle my problems, and they know me well.”

Sporting assistants Adelio Candido and Carlos Fernandes, first-team coach Emanuel Ferro, goalkeeping coach Jorge Vital and sports scientist Paulo Barreira are all expected to follow Amorim to Carrington.

And he added, “I think all coaches need (a good backroom staff). 

“I don’t want to go into too much detail. That was one of the reasons I always wanted to stay here - it was the people I work with.”