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Ruud van Nistelrooy said he had consulted with Sir Alex Ferguson before his first game in charge of Manchester United and revealed Erik ten Hag left Old Trafford hurt to be sacked but proud of his achievements.
The Dutchman won his first match as interim manager, 5-2 against Leicester in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, and expects to remain the caretaker for Sunday’s match against Chelsea, even as United close in on Ruben Amorim.
Van Nistelrooy has not yet been in contact with the Sporting Lisbon manager but underlined that it is his “absolute goal” to stay at United.
But he talked to Ferguson, his manager during his five-year spell as a prolific striker for the club two decades ago.
He said: “I spoke to him. He wished me luck. We spoke shortly about my situation and shortly about the team. Most of all he wished me luck. It is always great to speak to him.”
Van Nistelrooy and Ten Hag did not know each other before the summer approach for the 48-year-old to join the coaching staff.
But Van Nistelrooy said he was persuaded by Ten Hag’s love of United and revealed his compatriot was devastated to lose his job.
“I’ve seen him Monday here and I’ve spoken to him yesterday before the game,” he said. “Obviously, [he is] very disappointed and touched because he really cared for the club. I said also yesterday in the first conversation we had for me to come back to the club with him I really felt that he cared and loved the club and wanted to bring this club forward and that’s why we connected, and that’s why he’s also hurt that he had to leave but also proud of his achievements here with the two cups and obviously the history that he’s leaving with that.”
Van Nistelrooy said he would pick what he called his team, rather than use Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation, but hopes he can stay at Old Trafford and play a part in the new regime.
Amorim is expected to join in the November international break, giving Van Nistelrooy three more games in charge before then, and is likely to bring much of his backroom staff with him from Portuguese league leaders Sporting.
But Van Nistelrooy is determined to play his part, too, adding: “I came as an assistant to help the club forward and I’m still motivated to do so in any capacity, I go back to my assistant contract that I have here for this season and next, I’m very motivated to stay here and help the club forward, that’s my absolute goal.
“We will see but it’s a contract situation I’m in and my desire to help the club forward. I can speak to you about my side of the story and after that when a new situation is occurring and when a new manager is signing and conversations take place we have to see how things develop.”
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