Ruud van Nistelrooy’s appointment as Manchester United’s interim boss has raised eyebrows, according to MailOnline journalist Sami Mokbel, who revealed that the Dutchman’s return to the Old Trafford dugout was ‘surprising’ in his homeland.
The former Red Devils striker was announced as United’s interim manager after the club sacked Erik ten Hag on Monday morning. He will now take charge for the next series of games until ‘a permanent head coach is recruited’, according to an official statement.
Van Nistelrooy returned to Old Trafford over the summer as an assistant manager, having been a star forward for the Premier League giants for five seasons after joining in 2001.
However, according to Mokbel, his return to Man United was surprising in the Netherlands, given his mixed spell with PSV Eindhoven, where he reportedly clashed with players and left doubts over his coaching abilities:
“The 48-year-old’s reign at Philips Stadion was overshadowed by talk of private clashes with his players, many of whom held grave concerns over Van Nistelrooy’s coaching abilities. Some players felt he was stubborn and unwilling to adapt his approach.
“There was a level surprise back in his homeland that Ten Hag had approved Van Nistelrooy’s appointment.”
Having retired in 2012, Van Nistelrooy began coaching with PSV’s reserve team before being handed the first-team job in March 2022.
The former Real Madrid forward won the 2022 Johan Cruyff Shield and the 2023 KNVB Cup before stepping down after 15 months, citing a ‘lack of support’ as his reason.
The 48-year-old remained out of work until United approached him in July, appointing him alongside fellow Dutch coach Rene Hake to support Ten Hag in his third season at Old Trafford.
With Ten Hag now gone, Van Nistelrooy is expected to oversee the next set of games for Man United, starting with an EFL Cup clash against Leicester City on Wednesday.
It remains to be seen how long his tenure will last, as multiple names have already been sounded out as permanent options to take charge of the club, including former Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic and Brentford manager Thomas Frank.
Former Barcelona head coach Xavi is also understood to be on the shortlist and was reportedly contacted by Man United intermediaries after the summer.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Record at PSV (2022-23) | |
Games | 50 |
Wins | 34 |
Draws | 8 |
Losses | 8 |
Goals scored | 127 |
Goals conceded | 60 |
Points per game | 2.20 |
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 2 8 -10-24.