Former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has candidly revealed the transformative impact that two legendary figures had on him when he was a player.
Ruud van Nistelrooy became a fan favourite at Old Trafford and had a sensational impact during his five seasons at Manchester United.
The 47-year-old Dutchman arrived at United in 2001 from PSV Eindhoven and showed his clinical finishing in the final third under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Van Nistelrooy scored an incredible 150 times during his 219 appearances for the Red Devils, with the United legend lifting a Premier League under Ferguson.
The former Netherlands striker, who also captured a League Cup and an FA Cup at United, left Old Trafford in 2006 after his relationship with Ferguson fractured.
Van Nistelrooy went on to sign for Real Madrid for a reported £10.2m fee and lifted two La Liga titles during his spell in the Spanish capital.
The United legend saw out the remainder of his career at German side Hamburg and Spanish club Malaga before he retired from football in 2012.
Van Nistelrooy on lesson from two iconic figures
Ruud van Nistelrooy stepped into the world of coaching after his legendary playing career and took his first managerial post at former club PSV Eindhoven in 2022.
The Manchester United legend lifted the Dutch Cup in his first – and only – season as PSV manager, with Van Nistelrooy making his exit from the Dutch club in 2023.
Van Nistelrooy has not returned to management after he stepped down before the end of the 2022-23 season, but he was linked with one club in recent weeks.
Speaking to the Coaches’ Voice, Van Nistelrooy recalled his experience of being a player under legendary former managers Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Robson.
Sir Bobby Robson, who is considered one of the best managers of all time, was in his second spell as PSV manager when Van Nistelrooy was a player.
Van Nistelrooy revealed that the lesson he took away from Robson and Ferguson was how they built their connections with an individual by seeing them as more than a player.
“As a player, the most important thing I took from working with Sir Bobby Robson and Sir Alex Ferguson was their relationships with the individual,” he said.
“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, of course, 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.”
Van Nistelrooy on PSV departure
Van Nistelrooy left PSV ahead of the last match of the 2022-23 season after he felt a “lack of support within the club.”
The former PSV boss insisted that it would have been “impossible to continue” at the club due to him not being on the same wavelength as the club’s hierarchy.
“I stepped down with one game of the Eredivisie season to go,” Van Nistelrooy said.
“A head coach needs to be aligned with the board and the directors, and to know about plans for the future.
“When you’re not, it’s impossible to continue. But I had absolutely loved challenging myself against the best coaches, both at home and in European football.”