RUUD VAN NISTELROOY urged the Manchester United fans to cheer for the players rather than him after their 1-0 victory over Fulham.
New signing Joshua Zirkzee scored a late winner at Old Trafford as Erik ten Hag’s men kicked off their Premier League campaign with three points.
As the Man Utd players paraded around the pitch following the final whistle, Red Devils supporters could be heard singing Van Nistelrooy‘s name.
The Dutchman, 48, who scored 150 goals in 219 games during his five seasons under Sir Alex Ferguson, returned to the club in the summer as Ten Hag‘s assistant.
But as the Old Trafford faithful belted out his name in the wake of their Fulham win, he graciously pointed to the Man Utd squad, calling on the supporters to direct their love towards them.
And fans were quick to cite this thoughtful gesture as a reason why Van Nistelrooy is the perfect man to replace compatriot Ten Hag.
One said: “He’s 100 per cent the successor.”
Another added: “Unpopular opinion but this guy was employed to replace Ten Hag, we’ll see very soon, I’m very sure.”
A third replied: “That’s class from Ruud .”
While a fourth responded: “Could he really be our next manager? He would honestly have all the tools to succeed especially with Ten Hag in front of him to make the mistakes.”
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And a fifth said: “He is taking over the job soon.”
Van Nistelrooy spent one season as head coach of Eredivisie giants PSV, winning 33 of 51 games in charge and lifting the KNVB Cup.
He revealed upon his return to Man Utd the key managerial lesson he learned playing under Sir Alex.
Speaking to The Guardian, he said: “The most important thing I took from working with Sir Bobby Robson and Sir Alex Ferguson was their relationships with the individual.
“It’s not a football player; it’s a person. When you reach that connection, you get the best out of people – and from there on you can help them build their careers. I never let that thought go out of my mind.
“Sometimes you have to be tough on them and sometimes you have to get your arm around them. That mixture is important, but the most important thing is to always be honest and straight.
“When you have knowledge about the game and what is necessary at the highest level, you must share it.
“As a coach, you just try to help players reach their goals. And it is something that makes you feel really proud when you see young players develop.”
