LONDON, 01 NOV – Ruud van Nistelrooy says he is ‘motivated’ to help turn Manchester United’s season around and wants to stay at the club ahead of Sunday’s high-profile game against Chelsea.
The Dutchman took charge of United on an interim basis at Old Trafford after Erik ten Hag was sacked earlier this week following a poor start to the season, with United in 14th place in the Premier League.
Van Nistelrooy enjoyed a 5-2 win against Leicester in the League Cup last Wednesday as talks over the appointment of Sporting Lisbon coach Ruben Amorim continued.
Amorim has promised to decide his future after the Portuguese champions match today.
Former United striker Van Nistelrooy, who returned to the club in July as part of Ten Hag’s relief team, looks ready to take charge against Chelsea and could even manage the team until the upcoming international break.
“As an assistant, I came here to help the club forward and I am still very motivated to do so in whatever capacity as an assistant and now as interim manager. After that I returned to my assistant contract that I have here for this season and beyond,” he said at the pre-match press conference yesterday.
“I am very motivated to stay here and help the club forward. That is my absolute goal.”
Amorim, if his appointment is confirmed, will likely bring in his own staff.
Asked if he expected to remain an assistant under United’s new manager, Van Nistelrooy said: “We’ll see later but it’s my contract situation and my desire to help the club going forward.
“So I can only talk about my side and after that, when new situations happen, when new managers sign and conversations happen, we have to see how things develop.”
Van Nistelrooy is a former player at United under Alex Ferguson from 2001 to 2006. – AFP
