Ruud van Nistelrooy is channelling the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson as he aims to steer Manchester United back to glory. The interim manager, who kicked off his stint with a resounding 5-2 victory over Leicester in the Carabao Cup, is eagerly awaiting news on whether he’ll be part of Ruben Amorim’s coaching team.
Despite the possibility of his Old Trafford comeback being cut short, Van Nistelrooy is determined to make an impact before the dawn of a thrilling new chapter on November 11. Speaking before the Premier League clash with Chelsea, he reflected on Ferguson’s ethos: “Ferguson said: ‘no one is bigger than the club’.”
He elaborated on the importance of embodying this philosophy, saying, “Anyone can shout it. But if you then, as Ferguson did, give substance to your own words with every decision, every choice, it becomes different.”
Van Nistelrooy highlighted the significance of player-fan interactions, something Ferguson instilled in his players, and which he now promotes among his squad: “Then players know: ‘this is how it works here’. Take the interaction with supporters. Always thanking people after a game, good or bad.”
He also mentioned the small gestures like signing autographs and taking photos with fans at hotels, which Ferguson encouraged and Van Nistelrooy continues to endorse.
As Ferguson prepares to step down from his ambassador role at season’s end due to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting plans, it’s reported that he was a strong supporter of Van Nistelrooy’s return, as per the ex-PSV chief.
The interim boss, who took the reins following Erik ten Hag’s exit, shared: “He is present at every home game. That’s when we run into each other.
“He also came to watch Rangers when I coached PSV Eindhoven in Glasgow in the Champions League in 2022. I really appreciated that.
“Ferguson also openly states how nice it is that I am back. How good he thinks that is. That’s nice.
“This man has coloured a very important part of my football life. I was able to achieve my achievements at United partly because of him. He motivated, inspired, guided me through that period.”
Van Nistelrooy, who netted an impressive 150 goals in 219 games for Manchester United before leaving in 2006, is known for his dedication, often arriving at Carrington at seven in the morning and not departing until 6pm.
His commitment to rejoin United as Ten Hag’s assistant coach came with personal sacrifices, as he left his family back in the Netherlands.
Despite the distance from his loved ones, Van Nistelrooy’s passion for his family and Manchester United fuels his drive, as he expressed: “It is much more than work. Otherwise, you wouldn’t make the choice to sit here alone in a flat.”
“We had to talk about it: are we as a family going to pay the price of dad going alone? Because that’s the price. And you don’t pay that for every club by a long shot. But for THIS club I do and it was our joint conclusion.”
“I’d like to pass on to my children what Manchester United is to me.”
