Ruud van Nistelrooy's coaching career so far - what he brings to Man Utd

Manchester United have officially welcome Ruud van Nistelrooy back to the club as the former Old Trafford favourite joins Erik ten Hag’s revamped coaching staff.

The 48-year-old arrives back in Manchester alongside fellow Dutchman Rene Hake as an assistant manager. Meanwhile, Mitchell van der Gaag has left to pursue his own managerial career, with Benni McCarthy also departing, but Steve McClaren and Darren Fletcher staying.

Van Nistelrooy’s time in Manchester as a player felt all too brief, perhaps due to leaving just as Sir Alex Ferguson was building his third great United side. But he still scored an astonishing 150 goals across all competitions during that time – including losing much of one season to injury – and was incredibly popular with fans as cries of ‘Ruuuuuuud’ reverberated around Old Trafford.

Van Nistelrooy went on to play for Real Madrid, Hamburg and Malaga in his playing career, before turning his hand to coaching in 2013 a year after hanging up his boots.

The majority of his post-playing career until now has been spent at various levels with PSV Eindhoven, peaking as first-team head coach. He was also an assistant coach within the senior Netherlands national team setup under Guus Hiddink from 2014 and later Ronald Koeman.

Knowledge of the club

United have traditionally had success with assistant coaches who are former players – think back to Brian Kidd, Jim Ryan and Mike Phelan of the Ferguson years. They knew the club inside out, knew what it means to be a Manchester United player and oould help form the necessary bridge for information to flow between the manager and the squad.

Ten Hag was already going down this kind of route with the recruitment of McClaren, who was Ferguson's No.2 during the Treble era, and pulling Darren Fletcher more into the coaching side from his previous role as technical director. Van Nistelrooy only strengthens that.

Commands respect

United players supposedly didn't have sufficient respect for Ralf Rangnick during his ill-fated spell in charge, which is seemingly what sent results spiralling by the end. But what Van Nistelrooy achieved during his playing career – his goal record for United and others, league titles in three countries, a Premier League Golden Boot, PFA Players' Player of the Year, Premier League Player of the Season and two-time Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year – is enough to get any current star to stop and listen.

He has a famously short temper too, so nobody will want to get on his wrong side.

High demands

On that note, Van Nistelrooy knows what he wants and doesn't stand for anything less. When he resigned suddenly as PSV boss in 2023, the reason given was a perceived lack of support from the club. Although it was too late for him, they must have listened because just a year passed – one big sale and a few signings later – before PSV had gone from finishing seven points adrift of Feyenoord to finishing seven points ahead and claiming the Eredivisie title for the first time in six seasons.

One of the main criticisms aimed at United squads in the last decade is lower standards since Ferguson ruled with an iron fist. Van Nistelrooy will expect only the very best from the players he is now tasked with coaching and will similarly demand it from club structure too.

Trophies won as a manager

After cutting his coaching teeth with juniors and reserves, Van Nistelrooy was in charge of PSV's first-team for one year. In that sole season, he delivered the Johan Cruyff Shield – effectively the Dutch super cup – by beating Arne Slot's league champion Feyenoord team, and the KNVB Cup.

PSV reached the knockout rounds of the Europa League during the campaign too.

Talent development

Working his way through PSV's Under-17, Under-19 and reserve sides, Van Nistelrooy has gathered plenty of experience of working with and developing young talent.

As a club that values the progression of home-grown players and has enjoyed a resurgence of academy prospects successfully making the leap into the first-team – Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo – that is something United will want him to continue.

The list of young first-team players he furthered during his sole season as PSV head coach alone is substantial. Xavi Simons enjoyed a breakout campaign of epic proportion that prompted Paris Saint-Germain to trigger their buyback clause, while Van Nistelrooy oversaw Jarrad Branthwaite's first meaningful season of top flight first-team football. Johan Bakayoko, Noni Madueke and even Cody Gakpo are others who have benefitted from his guidance.

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