MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – Ruud van Nistelrooy is well aware that his interim manager stint at Manchester United will be a short one, but the Dutchman said on Thursday that he expected to still be in charge for this weekend’s Premier League clash at home to Chelsea.
Former United striker Van Nistelrooy stepped up from his assistant coach role at the club after the sacking of Erik ten Hag on Monday, and Sporting coach Ruben Amorim is widely expected to be installed as manager at Old Trafford very soon.
The temporary coach got off to a winning start with a 5-2 League Cup quarter-final win over visitors Leicester City on Wednesday, and at Thursday’s press conference it was suggested he will still be there for the game with Chelsea on Sunday.
“I am guessing that too, so yes, it’s going to be a short job as an interim, that was communicated very clear and I was happy with that,” Van Nistelrooy told reporters.
“Obviously, it was difficult that Erik had to leave, I was very disappointed, with very mixed feelings about that, but you have to switch the mindset to win because 75,000 people are waiting and celebrating and millions are watching at home.”
While the 48-year-old Van Nistelrooy accepts his new job will be a short-lived one, he plans to return to his previous role once a new manager is installed.
“I decided to come back here for a very important reason. I came as an assistant to help the club forward and I’m still very motivated to do so in any capacity,” he said.
“As an assistant, and now as an interim manager, and after that I go back to my assistant contract that I have here for this season and next.
“I’m very motivated to stay here and help the club forward, that’s my absolute goal. I can speak to you about my side of the story and after, when the new manager is signed and conversations take place, we have to see how things develop.”
Van Nistelrooy, while upset about the departure of compatriot Ten Hag, knows in this job it is results that matter.
United finished a disappointing eighth last season and, while an FA Cup final win over Manchester City may have helped prolong Ten Hag’s stay, four losses in the opening nine league games leaving his side 14th ultimately proved his downfall.
“In the end, it is also clear in football that it is the results and Erik also said, in pre-season we had new staff and all were very positive and all working hard to bring the club forward,” Van Nistelrooy said.
“There are things you can’t explain sometimes. So many games we felt we could get a better result, talking Crystal Palace, West Ham, Porto, Fenerbahce (in the Europa League), but we also know it is about results and that is part of our job.”
Talks are reportedly ongoing between United and Sporting, with Amorim saying he will not provide any news until after his side’s next game on Friday, and Van Nistelrooy too was giving nothing away when asked about the Portuguese coach.
“Is he already announced? So we don’t know,” the interim manager said. “Again, what the future will bring, we will see.”
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Ken Ferris)
