Ruud van Nistelrooy may be a crowd favourite for the interim role at Manchester United, but his popularity hasn’t always been universal.
The 48-year-old’s only previous stint as a manager, with PSV Eindhoven, was riddled with controversy and player disputes. United co-owners INEOS are gambling on Van Nistelrooy to steer the club through a challenging phase following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal, with the club slumped in 14th in the table, just seven points clear of the relegation zone.
They’re banking on the ex-Red Devils, Real Madrid and Hamburg forward to foster a more peaceful atmosphere than he did in his last job. Van Nistelrooy took the reins of PSV’s reserve team in 2021 before moving up to their first team the next year.
Although his 15-month tenure wasn’t a complete disaster in terms of results, with PSV coming second in 2022/23 behind Eredivisie champions Feyenoord, there were constant whispers of discord between the Dutchman and his squad.
As per The Daily Mail, ‘private clashes’ were frequent and some players had ‘grave concerns’ about Van Nistelrooy’s managerial skills. A handful reportedly even went behind his back to voice their concerns to the PSV board, reports the Express.
(Image: (Image: Getty))
By the end of his reign, the relationship between Van Nistelrooy and the Dutch club had soured so much that he stepped down one game before the season’s end.
INEOS boss, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is now placing his faith in the former Premier League goal scorer to bring back some positivity at Old Trafford. The club has stated that Van Nistelrooy will be in charge ‘while a permanent coach is recruited’, but like all temporary situations, a strong performance could see him being considered for the full-time position.
During his tenure as a player at United, Van Nistelrooy won a Premier League, an FA Cup and a Carabao Cup, scoring an impressive 150 goals in 219 games. He continued his world-class scoring streak at Real Madrid and Hamburg, before ending his career at Malaga in 2012.
Xavi and Gareth Southgate are rumoured to be among the top contenders for the main job at Old Trafford. However, both managers are reportedly keen on taking a break from football after demanding stints at Barcelona and England respectively.
Ruben Amorim, the Sporting boss, has been strongly linked with the position, although the Portuguese is reportedly hesitant to leave his current team halfway through the season. Thomas Frank, Graham Potter and Kieran McKenna are also potential candidates now that Ten Hag has been dismissed.