Ruud van Nistelrooy reveals reaction to Erik ten Hag's sacking and chats to Sir Alex Ferguson as he details 'absolute goal' at Man United
Ruud van Nistelrooy has revealed that Erik ten Hag felt “hurt” after having to leave a club he “really loved”.
Manchester United's caretaker manager also admitted he consulted Sir Alex Ferguson before his first game in charge and is motivated to remain at the club even after a permanent manager arrives.
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Ten witch was dismissed on Monday after the Red Devils' 2-1 defeat to West Ham on Sunday afternoon, marking just one win in eight games in all competitions.
The result left Man United 14th in the Premier League, and Van Nistelrooy, who had been serving as Ten Hag's assistant, stepped in to take over the change while the club finds a successor.
At a pre-match press conference on Thursday, the former Man United star said: “I saw him here on Monday and I spoke to him yesterday before the game.
“He is obviously very disappointed and touched because he really cares about the club.
“I also said it yesterday, in the first conversation we had about returning to the club with him, I really felt that he cared and loved the club and wanted to move it forward and that's why we connected.
“That's why he is also hurt by having to leave, but also proud of his achievements here with the two cups and, obviously, of the story that he leaves with that.”
Van Nistelrooy took to the bench for the first time on Wednesday, leading Man United to a 5-2 victory against Leicester that saw them advance to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
And the Dutchman says he spoke to his former Man United boss Sir Alex Ferguson before taking on the task of leading his team to the next round.
He said: “I spoke to him. He wished me luck. We talked briefly about my situation and briefly about the team. Above all, he wished me luck. “It’s always great to talk to him.”
The coach of Sporting Lisbon, Rubén Amorim, is ready to take Man United hot seat next, but will not take over until after the international break in November.
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The Portuguese coach is expected to bring his technical staff with him.
But this has not stopped Van Nistelrooy with the aim of staying in the clubas he endeavored to help Man United after his caretaker period ended and detailed his “absolute goal”.
The former Real Madrid star said: “I came as an assistant to help the club forward and I am still motivated to do so in any position, I return to my assistant contract that I have here for this season and next. I am very motivated to stay here and help the club move forward, that is my absolute goal.
“We'll see, but it's a contractual situation I'm in and my desire to help the club move forward.
“I can tell them my side of the story and after that, when a new situation happens and when a new manager signs and conversations take place, we have to see how things develop.”
Van Nistelrooy's first game as manager in the Premier League will be against Chelsea on Sunday, as Man United look to climb back up the table.
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