- Ruud van Nistelooy was ‘very disappointe’ that Amorim did not want him around
- However, he ‘understands’ the Portuguese’s tough decision as a fellow manager
- LISTEN NOW: Manchester City correspondent Jack Gaughan joins It’s All Kicking Off! to explain whether Pep Guardiola will have money to spend in January
Ruud van Nistelrooy admitted he had been left ‘hurt’ and ‘disappointed’ after being shown the door by Manchester United last month.
Van Nistelrooy, one of the finest forwards in United’s history, had taken interim charge following the sacking of Erik ten Hag, but new boss Ruben Amorim decided he would not be part of his coaching plans.
On the day he was unveiled as new manager of Premier League strugglers Leicester, Van Nistelrooy revealed he held talks with Amorim and hinted he had been let go because his presence might have caused problems in future for the Portuguese boss.
‘The moment I took over the interim job, what I said was I’m here to help United and to stay to help United, and I meant it. So I was disappointed, very much so, and it hurt I had to leave,’ he said.
‘The only job I would have taken as an assistant manager was at United because of the bond I have with the people in the club, and the fans.
‘In the end I got my head round it because I also understand the new manager. I’m a manager myself. You can think of a situation, me being there… I understand.
Ruud van Nistelrooy admitted he was ‘hurt’ when Ruben Amorim decided he was not in his plans
He had been Erik ten Hag’s assistant at Man United before becoming the caretaker manager
Amorim brought in his own staff after leaving Sporting Lisbon to replaceTen Hag at Old Trafford
‘I spoke to Ruben about it, fair enough to him. I was grateful for the conversation: man to man, person to person, manager to manager. That helped me a lot to move on and straightaway get into talks about new possibilities which of course lifted my spirits.’
Having worked for Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Bobby Robson and Fabio Capello, and spent time at Old Trafford as a player and coach, Van Nistelrooy knows what leadership looks like and he will need to call on those experiences to gain control over a restless dressing room. And like a new teacher meeting a challenging class, the 48-year-old wasted no time in letting his Leicester players know exactly who is boss.
As has often been the case at Leicester, this is a forceful, opinionated squad. So while Van Nistelrooy was happy to speak about his introductory wisecracks with club talisman Jamie Vardy, the way he described his first meeting with the first-team group felt significant.
Asked how important it was for players to respect the position of the man in the dugout, Van Nistelrooy said: ‘It’s the only way you can work. It’s about mutual respect. I also mentioned to the players that I looked at the squad and started to make phone calls about players, because in football everyone knows everyone.
‘With two or three phone calls you hear stories about 20 players and for me it was important that you hear there are good characters there. I look at the players how they play. I obviously don’t know them yet but I got some general information on the individuals, that they are a good bunch of people.’
In other words, a memo to some of the more forthright characters in this squad: I’ve got my eye on you. With Premier League survival at stake, Van Nistelrooy needs to work out who he can trust and, clearly, he has already been doing his homework.
The issue for Van Nistelrooy is this: not only does he need to keep a close eye on his squad, he has also to manage his relationship effectively with the club’s hierarchy too.
Van Nistelrooy respects the decision that Amorim took and his autonomy as a coach – and it has ended with him moving to Leicester City
Under the Srivaddhanaprabha family, Leicester have won the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Community Shield, twice finished fifth in the top flight, reached a Champions League quarter-final and a Europa Conference League semi-final.
Yet past glory does not give you a free pass for ever. The management of the club in recent seasons has been flawed and fans are disgruntled. Now the executives, as well as the players, need to be at their sharpest to help Van Nistelrooy succeed.
Fans targeted director of football Jon Rudkin with chants at Brentford at the weekend and the January transfer window will be an early indication of how things are shaping up behind the scenes.
‘I see the leadership qualities in the squad to be successful but it needs to be directed, and that’s my responsibility,’ added Van Nistelrooy. ‘I need to get to know who the leaders are.
‘I need to speak with them about leadership and how it works. I needed the best managers to guide me through the phases of my career. I was lucky to have those managers to help me lead in a certain way.’