Ruud van Nistelrooy, the former Manchester United striker, has made a surprising return to the club as an assistant manager. Van Nistelrooy’s departure from United in 2006 was acrimonious, with a heated argument with Sir Alex Ferguson leading to his sale to Real Madrid for £10.2 million. However, after years of regret, Van Nistelrooy reached out to Ferguson to apologize for his behavior. The two reconciled, and Van Nistelrooy was even invited to witness the unveiling of a statue of Ferguson at Old Trafford in 2012, signifying that the hatchet had been buried.
Now, 18 years after his departure, Van Nistelrooy is back at Old Trafford, hoping to help the current crop of strikers replicate his goalscoring prowess. Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund struggled in front of goal last season, with Rashford’s 30 goals from the previous campaign reduced to just eight. Van Nistelrooy’s role as a coach will be to impart his knowledge and techniques to improve the finishing abilities of the current strikers.
The former PSV Eindhoven coach has already made an impact in training, not only with the forwards but also with the defenders. He has been sharing insights on how to combat the best finishers in the business, drawing from his own experiences. Van Nistelrooy’s reputation as one of the best finishers in the game is well-deserved, with former United goalkeeper Tom Heaton describing him as the best he has ever worked with.
Van Nistelrooy’s return comes at a crucial time for Manchester United, as they have not won a league title since Ferguson’s final season 11 years ago. Last season, they finished in eighth place, their lowest position in Premier League history. The club is hoping that Van Nistelrooy’s presence and guidance can help turn their fortunes around.
With his incredible goal-scoring record of 150 goals in 219 games for United, as well as his successful stint at Real Madrid, where he scored 25 goals in 37 La Liga games in his first season, there is no doubt that Van Nistelrooy has the credentials to make a difference. United fans are eagerly anticipating the impact he will have on the team and are hopeful that his return will bring back the glory days of title-winning football to Old Trafford.