Fulham manager Marco Silva has talked up his ‘good relationship’ with incoming Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim after being linked with the job himself.
After the dismissal of Erik ten Hag from Old Trafford the Red Devils moved pretty quickly to appoint Amorim, who will leave Sporting and take up his new role on 11 November.
However, other names were in the frame, with journalist Guillem Balague reporting that Silva had even been ‘approached’ by Manchester United.
The Cottagers boss did not get the gig and will continue his project in west London, with Fulham hosting Brentford in the Premier League on Monday night.
Both Silva and Bees boss Thomas Frank have done impressive jobs in the Premier League but are missing out on bigger roles, which the Portuguese is unsure of the reason for.
‘I don’t know and it’s difficult to answer,’ Silva told Sky Sports. ‘Each club has people in charge to take decisions, important decisions for them. You have your idea what you want to achieve or to sign. And, when you go for a manager, it’s more or less the same thing.
‘It’s the decisions from the club that we have to respect. Each one has to do his own job. About the future, you never know what is going to happen.’
Silva was in charge of Sporting in 2014-15 and knows the current manager well, expecting Amorim to be a hit in England.
‘We have a good relationship. Not a relationship that we speak every week but a good relationship,’ said Silva of the new Red Devils manager.
‘He’s a very good manager and this is a moment to welcome him to the Premier League. His qualities speak for themselves. He’s been doing a very, very good job in Portugal and he’s going to enjoy, for sure, the task that he has in front of him.’
There is just one point between Fulham and Brentford before their meeting at Craven Cottage on Monday night, with the Bees one place ahead of their local rivals in 11th.
Frank too was linked with a move to Old Trafford and admitted that it was a nice rumour to hear.
‘Of course, it’s nice to get praise,’ said Frank. ‘It makes you feel good and it feeds the ego – and we all need to feed our egos.
‘It’s good when you turn on the TV and people are saying nice things about you. I’m only human. So I might get a thought in my head if something sounds nice – but it only lasts for 10 seconds because I have to focus on the job I have and the things I can affect.
‘If I wanted to leave, I’d be political and tell the world I was happy while behind the scenes I would be working to get away. But that’s not happening. If someone knocks on my door, then I will decide. There have been offers in the past that I’ve turned down because of what I have here.
‘So I keep myself focused by telling myself to be confident but humble. If you don’t have belief in yourself, and you don’t back that up with hard work, then life can become extremely difficult – and that’s the same whether you are a football coach or a journalist.
‘I’m a big believer in talking the talk and walking the walk. That means being consistent in my messages to the players and my behaviour, but also working hard myself every single day.
‘But you never know what’s going to happen in the future. Will there always be enough inspiration, development, whatever, for me here? Maybe there will come a time when I just don’t find it interesting any more.
‘We all grow and develop and perhaps I would like another challenge in the future. I’m a transparent and honest guy. I will see what the world brings to me and take it from there.’
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