Ruben Amorim has provided insight into why he decided against keeping Ruud van Nistelrooy as part of his coaching setup at Manchester United.
Van Nistelrooy initially joined Erik ten Hag’s staff last summer but was later asked to step in as interim manager after Ten Hag’s dismissal. Under his leadership, United remained unbeaten in four games, securing wins against Leicester City and PAOK while drawing with Chelsea.
However, after Amorim took over at Old Trafford in November, he opted not to retain Van Nistelrooy. Instead, the former United striker soon found a new role as Leicester City’s manager, a position he took just over two weeks later.
Van Nistelrooy will return to Old Trafford this Friday as Leicester faces United in the FA Cup fourth round.
Addressing his decision, Amorim made it clear that it was a straightforward call. “It wasn’t difficult because it was so clear to me. I just had to explain,” he said.
He emphasized that while he could have retained Van Nistelrooy for popularity’s sake, it wouldn’t have been fair. “I have my team and my staff. I could have kept Ruud, which might have been seen as a good move, but I won’t put him ahead of my guys,” Amorim stated.
The United boss explained that placing Van Nistelrooy lower in the coaching hierarchy wouldn’t have been respectful. “He’s a legend of this club. It wouldn’t have been right to have him at the bottom of the staff structure. I was clear with him, and he took it with class, as expected.”
When asked if Van Nistelrooy’s deep connection to United made him a valuable asset, Amorim dismissed the idea. “What matters most in a coaching staff is alignment with my style of play and standards. Ruud understands what it takes to win, but I prefer working with the team that got me here,” he said.
Amorim remained confident in his decision, stressing that while experience is useful in difficult times, he doesn’t feel his staff is lacking. “We just need to improve as a team,” he concluded.