Ruud van Nistelrooy shows class with final message to Man Utd stars before being axed by new boss Ruben Amorim
RUUD VAN NISTELROOY urged Manchester United’s players to get behind new manager Ruben Amorim before signing off as interim boss with a 3-0 win over Leicester.
The Dutchman indicated to the first team that he expected to leave Old Trafford when the Portuguese arrived in Manchester yesterday but the club announced that RVN would be leaving.
The United legend – who made a big impression on the first team dressing room despite only being appointed assistant manager by sacked Erik ten Hag four months ago – urged stars to work hard to bring back the glory days under the new boss.
And he assured them that he was delighted to have come back to Old Trafford and his tenure as interim gaffer – which saw him win three games and draw the other – had only helped to strengthen his managerial career.
A source said: “Ruud made clear to the bosses he wanted to stay at United because he loves the club.
“But he was also pragmatic and expected that Amorim would want total control of things, including his backroom staff.
“He told the players he was very happy to have come back and to have had the chance to manage the club for four games.
“It has helped his managerial career, increased his already strong ties with United and he hasn’t given up on the idea that he might be back one day.
“He made all that clear to the players and demanded that they give their all to the new manager.”
SunSport previously told how the first team squad were keen for Van Nistelrooy to stay on and work with Amorim after growing close to him on the training ground and in the dressing room.
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Van Nistelrooy scored 150 goals in 219 games for United during Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign before leaving for Real Madrid after falling out with the Scot.
He stepped in as interim manager after United sacked Ten Hag following a 2-1 loss at West Ham, which left them 14th in the Premier League.
He inspired the Red Devils to a rousing 5-2 victory over Leicester in the Carabao Cup and then secured a 1-1 draw with Chelsea.
United then beat PAOK 2-0 in the Europa League before winning 3-0 against Leicester in the Premier League on Sunday – his final game in charge.
Amorim was pictured at Carrington yesterday and is waiting for a work permit.
Ruben Amorim is ‘Mourinho 2.0’ who turned Sporting from ‘walking dead’ into Portuguese champs… he can revive Man Utd
WHEN Ruben Amorim took charge of Sporting Lisbon in March 2020, one club official compared their situation to the “walking dead”, writes Jordan Davies.
Optimism and hope was at an all-time low.
But the Amorim-effect was almost instantaneous, guiding the Portuguese sleeping giants to their first league title for 19 years in 2020/21, losing just once and only conceding 20 goals.
Since then, Sporting have lifted another league title in 2023/24 – as well as two League Cups – and currently sit top with nine wins from nine this term.
He may be young, but Amorim already has an eye for rebuilding and revitalising fallen super powers with his infectious charisma and intense tactical philosophy that hardly ever wavers.
The “walking dead” at Manchester United must be praying for a similar sort of revival.
And they may just get it from one of the most talented young coaches on the continent – a man accustomed to breathing new life back into crumbling institutions such as Old Trafford.
Amorim has spent the last decade dreaming of one day gracing England’s Premier League, such was his admiration for an ex-United boss in Jose Mourinho growing up.
Often nicknamed ‘Mourinho 2.0’, Amorim spent a week with his coaching idol in an internship capacity at United’s Carrington training base in 2018, going on to cite him as his “reference point”.
United should not be expecting a mini-Mourinho, as Amorim said himself: “Mourinho is one of a kind. There won’t be another Mourinho. Mourinho is unique.”
And yet, you cannot help but compare the two.
For all the mismanagement in the Old Trafford hot seats over the years, this would be a real get – finally a slap in the face United’s Prem rivals have no answer for.