December 2nd 2024.
Ruud van Nistelrooy is set to make his debut as the manager of Leicester this week, as the Foxes take on West Ham. It's a big moment for the newly appointed head coach, who says he was surprised by all the attention he received after his brief stint as the interim manager for Manchester United.
Last Friday, the club officially announced the appointment of Van Nistelrooy, following the dismissal of Steve Cooper at the King Power Stadium. The team is currently struggling in 16th place in the Premier League. This comes after Van Nistelrooy's four-match tenure as United's interim manager came to an end, with Ruben Amorim taking over last month.
During his playing days, Van Nistelrooy was known for his impressive goal-scoring abilities. Now, as he steps into the role of manager, he will be looking to lead the team to victory against West Ham after watching their loss to Brentford from the stands over the weekend. Speaking at his first pre-match press conference, Van Nistelrooy expressed his excitement and pride at the opportunity to manage Leicester City in the Premier League.
He also shared that he had two great conversations with the owner and director of the club before accepting the position. It was important for him to be on the same page as the club and have a clear understanding of their goals and ideas. Van Nistelrooy was amazed by the level of interest he received after his brief stint with United, considering his previous success with PSV Eindhoven.
He had managed a full season at PSV, winning the cup and the Johan Cruyff Shield, as well as a year in the championship with the young PSV. However, he had never received such attention from the football world before. He was grateful for the opportunity to have conversations with different parties and ultimately make the decision to join Leicester.
Van Nistelrooy also revealed that he had spoken to his friend and former teammate Enzo Maresca before accepting the role at Leicester. He was curious about the club and the people who worked there, and Enzo's positive feedback only confirmed his decision to join the team.
As an iconic ex-United and Real Madrid player, Van Nistelrooy shared a humorous anecdote about his first encounter with Leicester's veteran striker Jamie Vardy. He joked about having a "big issue" with Vardy, as the striker had broken his record for consecutive Premier League goals nine years ago this week. But despite the competition, Van Nistelrooy wished Vardy well and looks forward to working with him and the rest of the team.
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