Mulensteen: If Van Nistelrooy Becomes Manchester United Manager, I Would Assist Him with Just One Call

Former Manchester United assistant coach Rene Mulensteen stated in an interview that if Ruud van Nistelrooy were to replace Erik ten Hag as the manager of Manchester United, he would be willing to return to assist van Nistelrooy immediately upon receiving a call from him.

This summer, there was an adjustment in Manchester United’s coaching staff, with van Nistelrooy joining ten Hag’s team, believed to be tasked with coaching the team’s forwards. However, there are also voices suggesting that van Nistelrooy’s return to Manchester United is intended for him to take over from ten Hag should the latter encounter difficulties leading the team once again.

Following the Premier League defeat of 0-3 against Tottenham and a 3-3 draw with Porto in the Europa League, ten Hag has once again found himself on the brink of dismissal. The upcoming match against Aston Villa could lead to a managerial change during the break if the result is unfavorable for Manchester United.

Mulensteen indicated that if van Nistelrooy were to succeed ten Hag as the manager of Manchester United, he would be willing to come back to assist him, “We know each other very well; I have worked with him before and we have stayed in touch. I think highly of him, although I feel he left PSV a bit too early. But if he called me, I would certainly come back.”

Mulensteen emphasized that, whether as a head coach or an assistant, one must not merely go through the motions, “I believe that once you start working, you must achieve something, rather than just for the sake of statistics. Moreover, you cannot waste time. Of course, if I were to return to Manchester United now, many things might be unfamiliar to me.”

Mulensteen also reminisced about his time serving as Ferguson’s assistant, “I enjoyed every minute of it. Every time I drove to Carrington, I felt no pressure at all, which was entirely due to Ferguson’s management and the trust he placed in me.”