Every word from Ruud's unmissable press conference

Thursday 31 October 2024 16:30

Ruud van Nistelrooy has held his first press conference as Manchester United’s interim head coach, ahead of Sunday’s Premier League blockbuster against Chelsea.

Here, you can read how the club legend answered questions from journalists at Carrington…

Guessing [as] you're here, I guess you're going to be leading the side on Sunday? And, beyond that, what is the situation? "I'm guessing that too! So yes. As I said, it's going to be a short job as an interim, that was communicated very clear and I was happy with that. I felt that I was called upon to help the club forward in this situation. Obviously, it was difficult, Erik had to leave, I was very disappointed with mixed feelings but after that, you have to switch the mindset to win because 75,000 people are waiting and celebrating and millions are watching at home. That's what we tried to do and the same for Sunday at least, and then after that we'll see."

Have you spoken much to Erik since Monday? "Yes, I've seen him Monday here and I spoke to him yesterday before the game. Obviously very disappointed and touched because he really cared for the club. I said also yesterday that in the first conversation we had over talks that for me to come back to the club with him, I really felt he cared and loved the club and wanted to bring the club forward and that's why we connected. That's why he's also hurt that he had to leave but also proud of his achievements here with the two cups and the history he's leaving with that."

Part one: Press conference v Chelsea Video

Press conference part one | Interim head coach Ruud answers questions on our future and a big game against Chelsea...

Can you explain why it's not worked out? We saw everyone in Los Angeles in the summer, there was a lot of optimism in the club, the signings came in and it seemed as though everything was aligned to go forward and it's just not happened? "I think in the end it's also clear in football that it's the results. Erik also said [that]. As you say, in pre-season, we had the new style, we were all very positive and working very hard to bring the club forward. There's also things you can't explain sometimes. The Brighton goal we scored, Garna via Josh in. There's been so many games where we felt we could get a better result for the way we played. I'm talking Palace, I'm talking West Ham, talking Fenerbahce, talking Porto. But in the end we also know it's about results this game and that's part of our jobs."

In terms of you, you said the ownership have said it's short term, go in and do it. Does that mean you are expecting to leave when the new manager comes in and what does the future hold for you because you have been a manager? You could have been a manager before deciding to come back here... "I decided to come back here for a very important reason - I'm here as an assistant to help the club forward. I'm still very motivated to do so in any capacity. As an assistant and now as an interim manager, and after that 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."

It's your expectation that you will remain as an assistant manager when the new permanent manager is installed? "We will see but it's a contract situation that I'm in and my desire to help the club forward so I can speak to you about my side of this story and after that, when the new situation is occurring, when the new manager is signing and conversations take place, we have to see how things develop."

Do you expect you'll have any conversations with the new manager about your own situation but also about the squad and any tips and hints you could give him? "Yeah of course. I want to help, I want to do everything I can in my abilities, as many others do in this club, to fight for this club. The club is in a difficult situation and it is not there where we all wanted to be but the challenge is there. That's why I'm here. Everyone's looking at Man United and the situation that it's in, but it's us as people on the floor here to do the utmost, supported by our fans. It's a process and it's something to work for and do everything for."

For the next three games that you're in charge, will you be speaking to Ruben [Amorim], because he likes to play a 3-4-3 or will this be your team for the next three games, one that you pick? "Is he already announced or?"

I don't know, not yet... "So then don't talk to somebody that's not announced. That's logical, in my opinion. What the future will bring, we'll see."

So it's your team over the next three games? "Of course."

You've now had some time with the squad, some time under your belt as well, what do you make of the shape of the team overall and how well-equipped do you think they are for the rest of the season under new management? "I'm thinking about preparing the team for Leicester, which we did, it was a difficult situation we were in to get a result against Leicester. Same today, here to build and evaluate the game, focus on Chelsea on Sunday. That's the process that I'm in. With the short term I'm in this position I'm only thinking in one thing, and that's doing the best we can for every game coming up and that's a big one against Chelsea on Sunday."

Do you think this group of players is good enough to challenge at the very top? "I think what's important and the most important is the task is getting the maximum out of these players. I think it's a great challenge to show and push ourselves as staff and players to that level. Over a Premiership season and also all the other games we're going to play until the end of May will give us a very good and clear picture where the club is at this moment and what the process will be towards the next season and the seasons to come. It's a big challenge and I think everybody is convinced with this group of players that we can and have to perform better than we are at the moment. But obviously, it's very interesting to see over the course of 38-50 games, where we can end up."

Did you ever think, given the way you unfortunately left the club, that you would be back one day standing in that technical area where Sir Alex used to be? "At the time, I wasn't thinking that, to manage. I left in 2006, so a long time ago to Real Madrid and to perform and to play and to get the most out of yourself as a player. After that, you start thinking about coaching. But it was special to come back to this club and to this city that I liked and I loved so much and still do, and I enjoy it. I enjoy being around Manchester, I enjoy working with the players and staff here. There's not many that were there when I played, but there's a still a couple. I see familiar faces. More or less the same quantity of people from that time."

You have a huge affinity with this club in scoring 150 goals, winning trophies and titles here. How did it compare being on the touchline last night to playing? What was the difference in the feeling, emotion and the whole mindset? "It's the other side of being a football player or a manager or an assistant. It's completely opposite sides. My team talk, I'm standing in front of the team telling them about what Manchester United is about and what it is to play at Old Trafford. Telling them what songs are being sung by the fans and why. So, you try to transmit that feeling, that lovely feeling playing for this club. It's a proud moment sharing that with players, and what they were transmitting on the pitch, and the way it interacted with the supporters. Also towards me, it was unbelievable support and it only strengthens me to do the utmost, especially short term, for Chelsea."

I know it was a tight turnaround between the games but did you speak to Sir Alex [Ferguson] before the game last night? "Yes, I spoke to him. He wished me luck. We spoke shortly about my situation, shortly about the team and most of all he wished me luck for the game. It's always great to speak to him."

The club committed around another £200 million in the summer and the manager who oversaw that is now gone two months later, the manager who's coming in might not want a lot of those players, is there a risk that the club have dug a big hole for themselves? "It's something that is interesting to think about because in the end, in football it happens so much. The team, a club, is also in the process of signing players, it's also in combination with the manager. It's difficult to comment on that actually and what the process would be with the new manager and how important it is that the new manager is improving the squad. He has a decision to come or not to come when he sees the squad, so it's hard for me to comment on that, but that would be the reaction from my side."

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