Ruud van Nistelrooy already proving his worth to Man Utd after Benni McCarthy decision

Ruud van Nistelrooy is back and making a splash at Manchester United, but not for his iconic goal-scoring prowess. The Dutch maestro has swapped his boots for a pen and paper as he pursues coaching excellence, imparting invaluable wisdom to the new generation of United stars under Erik ten Hag.

United recently bid farewell to another ex-Premier League striker, Benni McCarthy, and opted to bring back their club icon as an aide to Ten Hag. And despite Van Nistelrooy’s success as a player in Manchester, many may be surprised by just how swiftly he’s taken to his new post.

Van Nistelrooy is already developing strong bonds with the squad and was notably seen giving words of encouragement to Marcus Rashford following a missed chance in the Community Shield shootout defeat to Manchester City. Furthermore, reserve goalkeeper Tom Heaton has lavished praise on the returned hero, hailing his coaching skills as “outstanding.”

The Daily Mail reported in July that Van Nistelrooy – who notched a staggering 150 goals during his five-year stint at United – took a leading hand in training sessions on their pre-season tour of the United States. The 48-year-old left his senior managerial role at PSV to accept an assistant role at United, but it fits that he’d still expect a certain amount of authority in familiar surroundings.

The shake-up at Manchester United saw the exit of a popular figure in McCarthy, who was one of Ten Hag’s earliest recruitments in the summer of 2022. The former Blackburn and West Ham striker impressed as first-team coach, but Van Nistelrooy has been brought in as one of Ten Hag’s assistants, alongside compatriot Rene Hake.

Heaton -who once called Van Nistelrooy his team-mate – shone a light on the Dutchman’s broader influence, particularly his knack for contributing to defensive strategies. The third-choice stopper has said Van Nistelrooy “understands that side of it too,” which should benefit defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui once their impending transfers are finalised.

Rashford sang high praises for McCarthy’s work at Old Trafford and told SuperSport in March 2023: “I think he has done a good job. It’s always good for us to have a particular coach that concentrates on us as a forwards group. We have worked more as a team going forward which has led us to creating more chances and scoring more goals.”

Van Nistelrooy was renowned for his goal-scoring instincts as a frontman and clearly plans to hit the ground running back at his old club. He snared one Premier League title, an FA Cup and a League Cup as a player at United before leaving in 2006 following one too many disagreements with Sir Alex Ferguson’s right-hand man at the time, Carlos Queiroz.

Now occupying the No. 2 position himself, Van Nistelrooy is determined to outdo Queiroz’s achievements at the club. Guiding Rashford and his team-mates back to consistent success in the current climate may represent just that, with Ten Hag granted a new lease of life after signing a new contract with United.

Van Nistelrooy faced the daunting task of trying to reverse the club’s decline since Ferguson’s departure more than a decade ago. And few former United stars are better equipped to spark a resurgence, with the early signs looking extremely promising.