Despite taking on the role of head coach at Leicester City, Ruud van Nistelrooy’s heart still aches from not being able to remain as an assistant coach at Manchester United.
Van Nistelrooy has started a new chapter in his coaching career with a fresh challenge, but the fire of past disappointments still burns within him. His heart remains scarred, and the frustration of not being able to stay on as an assistant coach at Manchester United lingers deeply.
After five glorious years as a player for the club, Van Nistelrooy returned to Manchester United in July as part of Erik ten Hag’s coaching staff. Following Ten Hag’s dismissal in October, Van Nistelrooy was appointed interim head coach, leading the team to three wins in four matches, with one draw.
However, Manchester United soon announced Ruben Amorim as the new head coach, and the entire coaching staff was replaced, leaving Van Nistelrooy to part ways with his beloved club.
Quickly, Van Nistelrooy secured a new role as head coach of Leicester City, with his official tenure set to begin on Tuesday with a Premier League match against West Ham United.
Ahead of his new start, Van Nistelrooy openly admitted to the pain of leaving Manchester United during a press conference.
“I was disappointed… yes, very much so… it really hurts that I had to leave the club.” After the appointment of Amorim, Van Nistelrooy had repeatedly expressed his desire to remain at United in any capacity. Not being able to stay at the club that meant so much to him was deeply difficult, though he understands the reasoning behind the decision.
“I would have stayed at United only as an assistant coach because of the bond I have with the people and supporters of this club. But in the end, I understood the situation because I understand the new manager’s philosophy.”
Van Nistelrooy explained that he had a constructive discussion with Ruben Amorim, which helped him accept the situation and look forward to new opportunities that would motivate him.
Now, Van Nistelrooy faces a tough challenge at Leicester City, who have struggled this season, sitting 16th in the standings with just 10 points from 13 matches.
However, Van Nistelrooy made it clear that he’s not one to be easily shaken.
“People talk about my time at Real Madrid and Manchester United, but in my first three seasons as a professional footballer, I played in Dutch football for Den Bosch. So, I know very well how to fight.”
