Ruud van Nistelrooy has admitted it “hurt” to leave Manchester United but insists he “understands” why there was no place for him in new manager Ruben Amorim’s staff.
Van Nistelrooy returned to Old Trafford as assistant manager during the summer, 18 years after retiring as a player, and took over as caretaker manager when Erik ten Haag was fired at the end of October.
The former striker, who scored 150 goals in five seasons between 2001 and 2006, received an incredible reception when he started against Leicester City and that love from the fans was clear in four consecutive games at Old Trafford.
Van Nistelrooy remained somewhat deadlocked when Amorim was appointed, but he had not started work. However, with the Portuguese coach bringing new ideas and With him five people from Sporting CPthe decision was made to leave the club only a few months after returning.
“When I took the interim job, what I said was that I’m here to help United and stay to help Unitedand i meant it. So I was disappointed, very much, and it hurt that I had to leave,” Van Nistelrooy said as he addressed the media as Leicester boss for the first time this week.
“In the end I took it out of my head because I also understand the new coach. I’ve been in football long enough and I’ve made it. Understand.
“I spoke to Ruben about it, fair enough to him, the conversation was appreciative, man to man, person to person, manager to manager. This helped me a lot to move forward and immediately start conversations with new possibilities. of course it lifted my spirits.”
Now set to start a new chapter in charge of Leicester, Van Nistelrooy may, ironically, have been partly responsible for the job opening up in the first place. Two of Steve Cooper’s last four games with the club were heavy defeats against Van Nistelrooy’s United.
He too revealed surprise at the level of response in just four games as interim managerapparently inundated with interest and approaches far and above what he had previously experienced during his successful coaching career.
