Ruben Amorim: What did he mean by Sporting 'cycle' comments?

Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim raised some eyebrows this week as the Liverpool target talked about continuing a ‘cycle’ in Portugal.

Ruben Amorim saw his Sporting CP move closer to a second Liga Portugal title with a 4-0 win over Gil Vicente on Friday. That's now five wins on the bounce in the league and a seven-point lead over Benfica with six games to play.

Amorim, of course, is the favourite to take over at Liverpool when Jurgen Klopp steps down at the end of the season. But he raised eyebrows after his latest win by talking about the 'cycle' not being over at Sporting.

"I don't feel like the cycle is over," Amorim told the press when asked about leaving through the 'big door' at the end of the campaign.

So what, exactly, did he mean by that?

On the one hand, it really sounds like he's saying there's more to come with Sporting and that he plans on staying there. That's despite reports everywhere claiming he will be leaving this year, to Liverpool or otherwise.

It's very possible that Amorim is just talking about this season, though. The cycle hasn't ended, after all, as the season isn't done. That's a very strange way of voicing it, if that is what he meant.

Will Liverpool get Amorim?

It does feel a little difficult to judge what Amorim says, if only because he's determined not to discuss his future while still at Sporting. He's entirely focused on his current team and that leads to awkward answers when journalists do ask about his long-term plans.

We still feel confident that he'll move to Liverpool. They're the favourites to get him and there isn't really another candidate with his CV. Sporting will almost certainly win the title again this season, something that would make Amorim their first manager since the 1960s to win the league twice.

It would be a shock if anyone else took over. But as is becoming clear, it's certainly not impossible.