BT Sport commentator Paul Scholes prepares ahead of the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Manchester United at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England Paul Scholes seems to have changed his tune when it comes to incoming Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim.
Image: Picture: Michael Regan/POOL/AFP
He may have said something completely different just over a week ago, but Paul Scholes, at least for now, is happy about Ruben Amorim taking charge of Manchester United.
Before Amorim’s appointment on October 29, Scholes said hiring him would have been similar to when Erik ten Hag was first appointed.
“I agree on Ruben Amorim – it [the hype] feels a bit like Erik ten Hag [when he joined Manchester United],” Scholes said on The Overlap Fan Debate.
“In England, we don't watch a lot of Portuguese football, so we don't know too much.”
Since then, Amorim’s Sporting Lisbon thumped Manchester City 4-1 in their Champions League clash on Tuesday in the coach’s last home game in charge.
You live, you learn and Scholes seems to have certainly changed his tune.
“I am really excited about it,' Scholes told TNT Sports on Thursday.
“We have been in for managers and players who we haven't really had any competition to try to sign.
“Especially some of the players where there are not the likes of Barcelona, Man City and Liverpool - the big clubs being after them.
“I think with Ruben Amorim, everyone is looking and they are a little bit jealous, because I think some of them really, really wanted him.”
The 49-year-old Scholes who played over 700 games for the Red Devils from 1993 to 2013 winning 11 Premier League titles, and is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders ever, went on to speak about Amorim in the same regard as Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola.
“I know he has been spoken about with City once Pep goes, so he has been thought of in that high regard,” said Scholes.
“That is something we haven't really had before. We had (Louis) van Gaal, who getting a big job at that stage of his career was a surprise.
“For (Jose) Mourinho, it was probably his last big job and it was a bit surprising for the Chelsea rivalry.
“This is the first one where you think, "yes, this is a real coup". We have got in there ahead of three, four, five top clubs around Europe and it is exciting. I can't wait for him to come.”