Sporting name new manager after Ruben Amorim joins Manchester United

Sporting reserve team coach Joao Pereira has become first-team manager at the club following Ruben Amorim’s departure for Manchester United, the reigning Primeira Liga champions have announced.

Former Sporting full-back Pereira’s appointment was confirmed by the Lions on the same day as Amorim, who had been in charge since 2020 and won the top-flight title twice, started work as Erik ten Hag’s successor at the Premier League giants.

One of Pereira’s former Sporting team-mates, Luis Neto, will assist the 40-year-old alongside Jose Caldeira, Antonio Pina, and Hugo Tecelcao, with Tiago Teixeira taking charge of the Portuguese leaders’ under-23s and Pedro Coelho becoming Sporting B manager.

Míster João Pereira 💚 pic.twitter.com/FHNJ89SVGb

— Sporting CP (@SportingCP) November 11, 2024

Joao Pereira career

Pereira played more than 400 times during a career largely spent with many of Portugal’s top clubs, as well as winning 40 caps for his country, including appearances at the 2014 Fifa World Cup.

The Lisbon-born attacking wideman won the Portuguese Cup and Primeira Liga with Benfica, where he began his playing career in 2002, and left his homeland for the first time when he joined Valencia from Sporting in 2012.

He spent time with German club Hannover and Turkish team Trabzonspor in between two later spells with Sporting, ending his playing days by winning the top flight with them under Amorim in 2020/21.

One of his seven red cards came for Sporting in the Champions League in 2016, when he was dismissed for punching Real Madrid’s Mateo Kovacic during a 2-1 group-stage defeat.

Bem-vindo, míster João Pereira 💚 pic.twitter.com/GuWCxklgZf

— Sporting CP (@SportingCP) November 11, 2024

Amorim: Pereira ‘ready’

Speaking about Pereira on Thursday, Amorim said he had not spoken to the 40-year-old but backed him to lead a side who are yet to drop a point after 11 league games.

“If you ask me if he’s ready to take on other challenges, I’ll say clearly yes,” he explained. “Not just because of Joao Pereira, but because of the coaching staff and what I’ve seen from the B team and the quality that the players show physically and tactically.

“When I call them up, there’s almost no need for any work. [Forward Geovany] Quenda is proof of that, he worked with him.

“Joao Pereira is clearly ready to take on other challenges. He’s played for big clubs, he’s very mature and has a lot of personality. He’s ready for anything.”

Sporting’s outstanding start to the season continued with a 4-2 win at Braga in Amorim’s final match in charge on Sunday, recovering from 2-0 behind after 57 minutes.

The 20-time domestic champions also came from behind to record one of the best results of Amorim’s reign on Tuesday, winning 4-1 at home to Manchester City in the Champions League.