Ruben Amorim’s assistant coach Adelio Candido talks about his time at Manchester United and reveals what he hated most during his time at the club.
Ruben Amorim left Man United in December after 14 months at the club (Image: PA)
Ruben Amorim’s former assistant coach has spoken for the first time since the Portuguese manager’s sacking, insisting the manager’s philosophy is “not fully implemented” at Manchester United. Amorim took over in January after just 14 months in charge at Old Trafford.
The Portuguese manager took over from Sporting Clube de Portugal in November 2024 and oversaw United’s darkest season in 51 years. He never won a trophy during his time at the club, losing in the Europa League final against Tottenham.
In the Premier League, Amorim had the lowest winning percentage (32%), goals conceded per game (1.53) and lowest clean sheet rate (15%) of any United manager. Amorim was sacked after a dramatic press conference after the game against Leeds United at Elland Road, in which he hinted that other staff at the club should focus on their responsibilities.
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Adelio Candido served as one of two assistants on Amorim’s coaching team throughout his tenure. The 29-year-old proved to be an important member of Amorim’s staff, overseeing the warm-up with the players before the match.
In an interview with The Ball, Candido was asked what he enjoyed most about his time coaching at United, and what he valued least about the experience.
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He replied, “Experience is always experience, and whether the outcome is good or bad, we always learn.
Adelio Candido talks about Ruben Amorim’s time at Man United.
“I loved the city and the way the fans experienced football in Manchester, focusing on the project rather than the direct result.
“The thing I hated the most was definitely feeling like our ideas weren’t fully implemented.”
Amorim’s tactical system was a constant topic of discussion during his time at the club. He stuck to a 3-4-3 formation, only adjusting his approach after input from Jason Wilcox.
The 41-year-old’s behind-the-scenes team also came under intense scrutiny due to their lack of experience.
Asked if being part of such a youthful coaching staff helped him deal with the intense pressure, Candido said: “I think the fact that we were young helped us deal with the pressure.
“We always had a positive day-to-day at work. It’s normal for people to be more frustrated than usual in technical teams because of existing pressures, but that wasn’t the case for us.”
As for how he deals with criticism, Candido said: “To be honest, I don’t follow opinions outside of my work group. Something always comes in through social media, but I don’t pay any attention to any of it.”
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