Ruud Van Nistelrooy on taking interim Utd manager job and Chelsea preview
31/10/2024
Carrington Training centre, Manchester, UK
31/10/2024
Carrington Training centre, Manchester, UK
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00:00Given you're here, I'm guessing you're going to be leaving the side on Sunday and beyond that, what's the situation?
00:08I'm guessing that too. So, yes, as I said, it's going to be a short job as an interim.
00:19That was communicated very clearly and I was happy with that.
00:23I felt that I was called upon to help the club forward in this situation.
00:31Obviously it was difficult that Eric had to leave, I was very disappointed,
00:37obviously with mixed feelings, but after that you have to switch the mindset to win
00:43because in the end 75,000 people waiting and celebrating and millions watching at home.
00:49I think that's what we try to do and same for Sunday at least, and then after that we'll see.
00:57Have you spoken much to Eric since Monday?
01:00Yes, I've seen him Monday here and I've spoken to him yesterday before the game.
01:06Obviously very disappointed and touched because he really cared for the club.
01:12I said also yesterday that in the first conversation we had over talks for me to come back to the club with him,
01:20I really felt that he cared and loved the club and wanted to bring this club forward.
01:26That's why we connected and that's why he's also heard that he had to leave,
01:34but also proud of his achievements here with the two cups and obviously the history that he's leaving with that.
01:42Can you explain why it's not worked out?
01:45When we saw everyone in Los Angeles in the summer there was a lot of optimism around the club,
01:51the signings came in, it seemed as though everything was aligned and ready to go forward and it's just not happened.
01:58No, I think in the end it's also clear in football that it's the results.
02:04Eric also said that, as you say, in pre-season we had a new staff and they were all very positive
02:14and working hard to bring the club forward.
02:16Obviously there are things you can't explain sometimes.
02:22I also remember the Brighton goal we scored in Ghana via Josh
02:29and then you can see the 2-1.
02:32There's been so many games where we felt that we could get a better result for the way we played.
02:39I'm talking Palace, I'm talking West Ham, I'm talking Fenerbahce, I'm talking Porto.
02:44But in the end we also know that it's about results this game and that's part of it, of our jobs.
02:52Just in terms of you, you said the ownership said it's short term, go in and do it.
03:01Does that mean you're expecting to leave when the new manager comes in
03:06and what does the future hold for you because you have been a manager,
03:10you could have been a manager before deciding to come back here?
03:14Yes, and I decided to come back here for a very important reason, that I'm here.
03:20As an assistant I came here to help the club forward
03:24and I'm still very motivated to do so in any capacity.
03:31As an assistant and now as an interim manager
03:35and after that I go back to my assistant contract that I have here for this season and next.
03:44I'm very motivated to stay here and help the club forward.
03:48That's my absolute goal.
03:51So Ruud, it's your expectation that you will remain as an assistant manager
03:57when the new permanent manager is installed?
03:59We will see but it's the contract situation that I'm in and my desire to help the club forward.
04:05So I can speak to you about my side of this story
04:09and after that when the new situation is occurring,
04:14when the new manager is signing and conversations take place,
04:19we have to see how things develop.
04:21Do you expect you will have any conversations with the new incoming manager
04:25about your own situation but also about the squad and any tips and hints you could give him?
04:32Yes of course, but that's the thing that I want to help.
04:35I want to do everything I can in my abilities
04:40as many others do in this club, to fight for this club.
04:45The club is in a difficult situation and it's not there where we all want it to be
04:51but the challenge is there for the bigger and that's why I'm here.
04:55Of course it's a situation where everybody is looking at Man United and the situation there it's in
05:00but it's us as people on the floor here to do the utmost,
05:07supported by our fans.
05:09Of course it's a process and it's something to work for and do everything for.
05:15Hi Ruud, the next three games that you're in charge,
05:19will you be speaking to Ruben because he likes to play a 3-4-3
05:23or is this going to be your team for the next three games, the one that you pick?
05:27Is he already announced?
05:30Well, I don't know if not yet.
05:33So then obviously you don't talk to somebody that's not announced,
05:37so that's logical in my opinion.
05:40And again, what the future will bring, we'll see.
05:44So it's your team over the next three games?
05:47Of course.
05:50Obviously now you've had some time with a scored first game under the belt as well,
05:55what are your thoughts on the shape of the team overall
05:58and how well equipped they are for the rest of the season under new management?
06:01Sorry, say again?
06:02What are your thoughts on how well the team are equipped for the rest of the season
06:06under new management after the game last night and the sessions you've taken charge of?
06:11Oh, no, I'm thinking about preparing the team for Leicester,
06:17which we did. It was a difficult situation where we were in
06:22to get a good result against Leicester.
06:25Same today, here to build and evaluate the game,
06:30focus on Chelsea on Sunday and that's the process that I'm in.
06:34And of course with the short term that I'm in this position,
06:38for me I'm really only thinking in one thing
06:41and that's doing the best we can for every game coming up
06:45and that's a big one against Chelsea on Sunday.
06:50Do you think this group of players is good enough to challenge at the very top?
06:56I think what's important and the most important is that
07:00the task is that they get the maximum out of these players.
07:04And I think it's a great challenge to show and push ourselves
07:09as staff and players to that level.
07:12And I think over the Premiership season and also all the other games
07:16that we're going to play until the end of May
07:19will give us a very good and clear picture of where the club is at this moment
07:23and what the process will be towards the next season and the seasons to come.
07:28So it's a big challenge and I think everybody is convinced
07:32with this group of players that we can and have to perform better
07:36than we're doing at the moment.
07:38But obviously it's very interesting to see over the course of 38 to 50 games
07:43that probably still are to be played for, where we can end up.
07:48Did you ever think, given the way you unfortunately left the club,
07:52that you'd be back one day standing in that technical area
07:56where Sir Alex used to be?
07:58No, at the time I wasn't thinking that, to manage.
08:02I left in 2006, oh, my God, so a long time ago,
08:06to Real Madrid and to perform and to play
08:10and to get the most out of yourself as a player.
08:13And obviously after that you start thinking about coaching.
08:17But I have to say it was special to come back to this club and to the city
08:21that I liked and I loved so much and still do.
08:26And I enjoy it, I enjoy being around Manchester
08:30and enjoy working with the players and staff here.
08:34There's not many that were there when I played, but still a couple.
08:40I see a familiar face, a couple here.
08:44More or less the same quantity of people that are still there,
08:49a couple there from that time.
08:53You have a huge affinity with this club,
08:56scoring 150 goals, winning titles, trophies here.
08:59How different was it for you last night being in charge,
09:02being on the touchline there, compared to playing?
09:05What was the difference in the feeling and the emotion and the whole mindset?
09:09I don't know, it's the other side of being a football player
09:14or being a manager or an assistant.
09:16It's obviously complete opposite sides.
09:19In my team talk I'm standing in front of the team
09:22telling them about what Manchester United is about
09:25and what it is to play at Old Trafford
09:27and what songs are being sung by the fans and why.
09:32So you try to transmit that feeling,
09:35that lovely feeling for playing for this club.
09:38I think it's a proud moment to do that
09:43and to share that with players
09:45and what they were transmitting on the pitch.
09:48And also the way it interacted with the support is also towards me.
09:53It's an unbelievable support
09:55and it only strengthens me to do the utmost,
09:59especially short-term for Sunday, Chelsea.
10:05I know there was a tight turnaround between the games,
10:07but did you speak to Struyksvergsen before the game last night?
10:11Yes, I spoke to him.
10:13He wished me luck.
10:15We spoke shortly about my situation,
10:21shortly about the team
10:24and most of all he wished me luck for the game.
10:27It was always great to speak to him.
10:32The club committed around another £200m in the summer
10:36and the manager who oversaw that is now gone two months later.
10:40The managers coming in might not want a lot of those players.
10:44Is there not a risk that the club have dug a big hole for themselves?
10:51It's something that is interesting to think about
10:54because in the end it's in football that happens so much.
11:01A team, a club, is also in the process of signing players.
11:07It's also in combination with the manager.
11:09It's difficult to comment on that actually
11:12and what the process would be with the new manager
11:15and how important it is that the new manager is approving the squad.
11:20He has a decision to come or not to come when he sees the squad.
11:24It's hard for me to comment on that,
11:27but that could be a reaction from my side.