Was looking at Ruben Amorim last night who has been linked to the job of course and I have to say he's rather impressive. Everything I read and watched about him centred around not just his tactics but his personality, charisma and communication skills - something I think its fair to say ETH is lacking. He'd cost €20m to get him out of Sporting but I think if things with ETH dont improve in this second half with the injuries coming back and INEOS get impatient, he'd be worth it.
I'd recommend giving this a watch if for anyone that hasn't yet, as this goes through Amorim's crazy (impressive) rise to get the Sporting job.
For those who don't have time to watch he basically smashed it in his 1st job with Casa Pia in the third division in Portugal taking them to top spot (didn't actually have the necessary badges so had to leave). Then went to Braga B where he smashed it again and then within a few months took the main job when it became available. He then smashed it again, winning Braga their first trophy in quite a few years. A few months later cash-strapped Sporting then spent €10m to get him from Braga and he's been sensational ever since and currently has them top of Liga NOS.
Maybe its the fact that we currently have ETH who lacks the charisma and communication skills, but I look around at Man City and Liverpool and one thing they both have is charismatic managers. Managers that are respected by everyone in the dressing room, managers that are motivators, leaders, and have this knack of getting players run through brick walls for them. Amorim has that same aura.
How would Amorim's 3-4-3 tactic fit in with the current squad:
------------------------------------ Onana ------------------------------------------
------------ Varane ---------- Maguire ----------- Martinez --------------
---- Dalot --------- Casemiro ---------- Mainoo ----------- Shaw -----
-------------- Bruno ---------- Hojlund ----------- Garnacho -------------
I think its fair to say that if we got Amorim in, due to the change in tactics, quite a bit of work would need to be done to the squad (same would be said about Xabi Alonso too who plays with a similar structure). We would need:
+ New starting RCB who can cover the right side effectively = Todibo
+ New starting CB who is fast, aerially dominant and ultra calm on the ball = Diomande or Scalvini
+ New RWB with bags of energy and the ability to impact in the final third = Frimpong or Boey
+ Rotation with Shaw (Barco would have been perfect, Alvaro F. would have been good foil too) = Estupinan, Miguel Gutierrez, Parisi (or dare I say, convert Antony)
+ Rotation with Hojlund = Guirassy, Gimenez or Zirkzee as a slightly different option
+ New CM = Joao Neves
I still think De Zerbi is most likely based on the current Nice manager being an understudy of De Zerbi, so it would create some tactical unison across the INEOS clubs. Add to that Berrada coming over from City who supposedly are massive admirers of De Zerbi and his style of play and the potential incoming of Ashworth who obviously knows De Zerbi very well from Brighton.
However, as much as I think De Zerbi would be able to instil a new brand of football very quickly here, I just think Amorim seems to have that winner mentality and character that could elevate this team to be proper challengers rather than pretenders that place nice football.