“It hurt I had to leave” – New Leicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy opens up about painful Man United exit

Leicester City’s new manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has confessed that his departure from Manchester United last month “hurt,” following the arrival of Ruben Amorim as the club’s head coach, Soccernet.football reports.

The Red Devils legend had stepped in as interim boss after Erik ten Hag’s October exit, guiding the team for four matches.

Under Van Nistelrooy’s stewardship, United secured a draw against Chelsea, a win over Leicester City in the Premier League, a League Cup victory over the Foxes, and a Europa League triumph against PAOK.

Despite stabilizing the club during a turbulent period, Van Nistelrooy was informed in mid-November that he would not be retained under Amorim’s regime.

Reflecting on the experience, Van Nistelrooy said:” The moment I took over the interim job, what I said was I’m here to help United and to stay to help United, and I meant it.

“So I was disappointed, very much so, and it hurt I had to leave. The only job I would have taken as an assistant manager was at United because of the bond I have with the people in the club, and the fans.”

However, Van Nistelrooy expressed understanding of Amorim’s decision:
“I’m a manager myself. You can think of a situation, me being there… I understand. I spoke to Ruben about it, fair enough to him. I was grateful for the conversation: man to man, person to person, manager to manager. That helped me a lot to move on.”

Now in charge of a struggling Leicester side that has lost three consecutive matches, including a 4-1 defeat to Brentford, Van Nistelrooy is determined to make his mark.

On his new role, he said: “I was able to make a decision that felt really good for me, and now I’m here. Everyone tells you about how good the facilities are here but when you come and see it with your own eyes, it’s hard to believe. A year ago, I was in Madrid meeting [Carlo] Ancelotti… if you change the logos, it’s similar.”

Looking ahead, the Dutchman emphasised his focus on evaluating Leicester’s current squad and preparing for the January transfer window:
“For me, it’s important that I know how things are planned and managed in the near-future but also in the little-bit-longer future.

“What is most important is the current squad and for me to really get a good assessment over the coming weeks… by giving every player the chance.”