Ruben Amorim says he feels uncomfortable with the song Manchester United fans sing about him, urging supporters to focus on his players.
The new United manager, who has won two and drawn one of his three games in charge, has spoken of his appreciation at his warm welcome since replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag.
But the former Sporting Lisbon boss, speaking ahead of Wednesday’s match against Arsenal, said the vocal support for him, to the tune of “Give it Up” by KC and the Sunshine Band, made him feel uneasy.
“I don’t like my chant,” Amorim said on Monday. “I don’t like it. I feel a little bit… not embarrassed, but because I’m the coach they have to chant for the players and for the club.
“It’s not a good thing for me. I understand and I really appreciate the connection with the supporters, but I want them to support the team and the players because they are on the pitch, I’m outside the pitch.
“But I am really honoured about that and I feel a connection with the supporters, but we know we need results to maintain that.”
Amorim said he expects “special talent” Leny Yoro to be in the United squad for the first time against Arsenal, who are second in the Premier League.
The 19-year-old French defender was signed in July in a deal worth an initial 62 million euros ($65 million, £51 million) but sustained a metatarsal injury in pre-season and required surgery.
“Maybe Leny Yoro is going to be in the squad,” Amorim said. “I felt that he is in a good moment now, his fitness is better, so I think he’s going to be in the squad.
“I think he’s a special talent. We have to be careful in this first moment because we didn’t have too many trainings together, so he is training not alone but with a small group of players.
“He’s really fast, he’s a modern defender, and that is good when you want to press high and you leave a lot of strikers, especially in this league, one against one. I think he can manage that. He is very good with the ball, so I am very excited.”
United, who have a poor recent record at the Emirates, are ninth in the Premier League, four points off the top four.
By AFP