Ruud van Nistelrooy, a Manchester United legend and a prolific striker remembered for his goal-poaching ability across the continent is currently deciding between two significant management opportunities. On one side, Manchester United has approached him to join Erik ten Hag’s coaching staff while on the other hand, Burnley is considering him for their new manager role after Vincent Kompany left the club for German giants, Bayern Munich.
As per Fabrizio Romano, Van Nistelrooy is a strong candidate to be the new Burnley manager to replace Kompany, and the decision is expected next week. It is up to the former Manchester United man to choose between a supportive role at Manchester United or the managerial position at Burnley.
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Ruud Van Nistelrooy's managerial career started spending a decade as an assistant coach and youth coach for the national team and PSV. His senior career started in 2022 with PSV Eindhoven, where he won the Johan Cruyff Shield and KNVB Cup before relinquishing the role due to a lack of support from the club’s board.
Manchester United’s interest in having Van Nistelrooy is driven by the Dutch manager, Erik ten Hag, who sees van Nistelrooy as a valuable addition to his coaching staff and a major influence that can get United strikers back to scoring big. The influence was visible on various players including Marcus Rashford when Benni McCarthy joined as part of the coaching staff. However, Van Nistelrooy’s role is expected to be much bigger than that of the South African forward.
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Van Nistelrooy’s enjoyed legendary status ay Manchester United where he scored 150 goals in 219 games between 2001 and 2006 in a victorious United team. During his time at United, he won the Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup, solidifying his legendary status at Old Trafford. His time with Manchester United will surely be appealing to him to make a return to the club and help it to get back to winning ways.
Conversely, Burnley views van Nistelrooy as the ideal successor to Vincent Kompany, who left for Bayern Munich. The Championship club is looking for a young, ambitious coach to help them return to the Premier League after relegation. Van Nistelrooy’s recent performances and relative experience with the senior team in the Dutch League make him an attractive option for Burnley.
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