Ruud van Nistelrooy record set straight with Erik ten Hag succession theory dispelled

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first game in charge of Manchester United is in the books, and some still believe the Dutchman was originally hired to supplant Erik ten Hag

Rumours that Ruud van Nistelrooy was hired as an assistant at Manchester United to supplant Erik ten Hag have been put to bed.

The legendary Red Devils striker returned to the club he notched 150 goals for in July, having previously taken up the reins at another former club, PSV. Praised for his impact, when the days of Ten Hag’s tenure became numbered, Van Nistelrooy was promoted in the interim and guided United to a 5-2 Carabao Cup win at home to Leicester in his debut fixture.

Yet, the Dutchman will not be given long at the helm. A deal for Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim was fully agreed upon on Wednesday, and the 39-year-old is set to leave the Portuguese capital after a final goodbye against former club Braga on November 10.

When pressure began to overwhelm Ten Hag, many felt as though Van Nistelrooy would be a candidate to become the club's next permanent boss, fuelling theories that he was only hired to eventually supplant his compatriot. However, these rumours have been dispelled not only by Amorim's imminent arrival, but also because recruiting Van Nistelrooy wasn’t the club’s call, but Ten Hag’s.

“I don’t think they would've seen Ruud van Nistelrooy necessarily as an interim for the longer term. He was very much a member of Erik ten Hag’s staff,” David Ornstein told the It’s Called Soccer podcast.

“Contrary to some popular opinion, it was Erik ten Hag who chose Ruud van Nistelrooy, not Manchester United - even though Manchester United were very much on board with it: a legend of the club.

“So they had this opportunity - and given the way that results, performances were going, the trajectory under Erik ten Hag - I feel they felt that this was the time to act. But, I don’t think that Manchester United wanted to make this decision on Erik ten Hag until they had a firm plan in place.“

That plan has been unveiled as Sporting’s Amorim, who will become the youngest head coach to take charge of the Red Devils, after a deal was struck and his hefty £10million release clause paid.

The up-and-coming Portuguese boss is likely to first take to a Premier League dugout on November 24 when his new side travel to strugglers Ipswich Town.

“They will take this step with a 39-year-old manager - which is really quite remarkable,” Ornstein continued. “They will place their trust in him for the latest incumbent of the seat that Sir Alex Ferguson vacated in 2013, and nobody has really lived up to the standards that Manchester United have come to expect so far.”

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.