Ruud van Nistelrooy has delivered a fascinating insight on life behind the scenes at Manchester United during his five years at Old Trafford under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson.
United swooped for Dutchman Van Nistelrooy in 2001, signing him for £19million from PSV Eindhoven. He scored 150 goals in 219 games, most notably winning the Premier League and the FA Cup and cementing his place in Old Trafford folklore.
Van Nistelrooy joined his former United team-mate Rio Ferdinand on his Vibe with Five YouTube channel to lift the lid on the big stories from his time at the Red Devils.
Ruud van Nistelrooy has spoken to Rio Ferdinand about his five years with Manchester United
Ferdinand and Van Nistelrooy were central figures in one of Sir Alex Fergsuon’s United sides
Van Nistelrooy spoke to his old team-mate Ferdinand on his Vibe with Five YouTube channel
It was United captain Roy Keane who gave Van Nistelrooy a particularly abrupt welcome to life in England. Van Nistelrooy was amazed by how relaxed he found Keane during his pre-match rituals in the United changing room on gameday. But in training, the Irishman was unimpressed at his colleague wearing a hairband while playing.
‘He led the team in an unbelievable way,’ Van Nistelrooy told Ferdinand. ‘ He was direct, everybody knows that but in the beginning I had to get used to that.
‘For three months, every day he would talk about that hair band – “get that thing out of your head! What the eff are you doing with that hairband? You’re in the Premier League now!”‘
‘I remember the way he prepared for a game, I was shocked. He was just reading the programme, sitting there in the dressing room so calm and easy going. He puts on his boots with these big round studs, little shinpads on, jogs around in the warm up, the referee blows the whistle and there is an animal on the pitch! How does that happen?’
But if Keane’s aura took Van Nistelrooy aback, it was nothing compared to Sir Alex Ferguson’s ruthless streak. Van Nistelrooy and Arsenal’s Thierry Henry were involved in a shoot-out for the golden boot in the 2001-02 season and with United at home to Charlton on the final day, Van Nistelrooy was relishing a chance to claim the prize of top scorer in his first year in the Premier League.
That season, however, United were having to settle for third in the table with Arsenal champions and Ferguson was not in any mood to entertain any personal honours.
‘I was challenging but the gaffer left me out in the last game of the season,’ Van Nistelrooy said. ‘He (Ferguson) said “you’re not challenging for the golden boot. We didn’t win the league son. You’re out.” He left me in the stands, not even on the bench! There wasn’t even a hope for coming on.’
Henry’s tally of 24 for the season edged Van Nistelrooy by one agonising goal to claim the golden boot that year. But the following season, Van Nistelrooy won the award with 25.
Van Nistelrooy was taken aback by a rowdy welcome from United captain Roy Keane
Van Nistelrooy also opened up on Sir Alex Ferguson’s ruthless methods at United
Van Nistelrooy also revealed how he ignored Martin Keown’s taunts in a clash with Arsenal
Such a merciless winning mentality at United had been instilled into the squad by Ferguson for years on their Carrington training base.
‘We used to get in tussles,’ Ferdinand admitted. ‘I kicked Ruud a couple times, him and Ronaldo had a little bit of a fracas and Ruud, I think you swung at me one time. But these things happen, in the dressing room you’d laugh about it.’
In 2003, United and Arsenal’s rivalry was ferocious and in a clash at Old Trafford, Van Nistelrooy missed a late penalty in a game that finished goalless. As his spot-kick hit the bar, Van Nistelrooy was infamously mobbed and surrounded by Arsenal players, including Sportsmail columnist Martin Keown, jumping in his face.
How did Van Nistelrooy keep his cool and not lose his temper?
‘It was the last kick of the game, 0-0 and you miss it… I didn’t realise what was going on. I saw it on TV after,’ Van Nistelrooy said. ‘I was so gutted with missing that I completely missed the point. If you realise they are having a go then of course a massive row would have occurred but I was completely locked down, you know.’
Van Nistelrooy won the Premier League in 2003, the FA Cup in 2004 and the League Cup in 2006. But that year, the Dutchman was aware that Real Madrid were after him and he wanted to go to Spain. He even had a clause in his deal allowing him to speak to the Spanish giants.
After missing out in 2002, Van Nistelrooy eventually won the golden boot back in 2003
Van Nistelrooy and Ferguson fell out when the Dutchman left Manchester United in 2006
It led to a fallout between Van Nistelrooy and Ferguson and years later, the Dutchman sought out his old boss to make amends for the manner of his departure.
‘If you want to leave a club when you are on a contract you have to find your way out and he wasn’t going to let me go easily,’ Van Nistelrooy said. ‘It’s what happens with players, pushing yourself out a little bit.
‘You’ve got to reflect and say things I should have done different. I asked Rene Meulensteen (former United assistant manager with Ferguson) for his number. I rang his number and said “hey gaffer it’s Ruud” and he said “yeah”.
‘That was how the conversation started! I started talking, I reflected on the time and certain moments and in the end he said “thanks for calling, of course”‘ and was happy with how that came by.’
Van Nistelrooy was at Madrid for four years, winning La Liga twice. He also played for Hamburg and Malaga before retiring in 2012.
Van Nistelrooy said that now, he would have done things differently in leaving United