Even before Ruben Amorim effectively steps in to take charge of Manchester United as the manager from November 11, the Portuguese has already been earnestly urged by one of his former team-mates to axe Ruud van Nistelrooy without any further delay.
It was made known in no uncertain terms to Amorim that he should seriously consider axing Ruud van Nistelrooy when the Portuguese takes charge at Manchester United so as to avoid confusion, says Teddy Sheringham.
Former United star Van Nistelrooy temporarily inherited the reins at United after Erik ten Hag’s two-and-a-half year spell at Old Trafford finally stuttered to an inevitable end after a 2-1 defeat at the hands of West Ham. Van NIstelrooy is currently in charge on an interim basis, and has in the wake of Ten Hag’s departure immediately notched up a 5-2 win over Leicester City in the Carabao Cup as well as a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the Premier League.
However the Dutchman’s decent start to life did not deter the club’s hierarchy from appointing Sporting CP boss Amorim as United’s new boss, and the latter is set to take over from Van Nistelrooy on November 11. The former Sporting gaffer has already made a positive impression by convincingly defeating rivals Manchester City 4-1 in the Champions League this week.
With Amorim getting ready to assume his position in the Old Trafford dugout, ex-United star Sheringham has seen it expedient to advise him to bring in his own team and shun any offer of coaching assistance from Van Nistelrooy as Sheringham feels an alignment with the 39-year-old’s vision would be an injustice to the club and that a fresh approach is what’s needed at the club.
Speaking to Flashscore, Sheringham said: “It wouldn’t be a mistake for Ruben Amorim to part ways with Ruud van Nistelrooy.” He added: “Most managers come in with their staff behind them, and with his stock so high, he will be able to make his own demands.
“If he doesn’t know Ruud and doesn’t know his personality, then he won’t have his back. I think when new managers come in, it’s time for a fresh start, and you don’t want any confusion as to what was at the club before.”
Since joining in the summer, Van Nistelrooy has been lauded for his impact on players, particularly forwards like Marcus Rashford, who have attributed their improvement to the Dutchman’s training exercises.
It is now the priority for Amorim to focus primarily on revitalising United’s form in the Premier League after a disappointing first few months under Ten Hag.
Promising to switch things up at United, the Portuguese gaffer is targetting high-possession, high-pressing three-back football with the focus on a total mentality shift. Nevertheless, according to Sheringham, stepping into such a prestigious hot-seat managerial role won’t be without its challenges, given the enhanced scrutiny that accompanies the position.
“Ruben Amorim has a good record in Portugal, but he’s coming into one of the biggest clubs in the world, and it’s a tough ship to sail,” Sheringham said.
“A lot of top managers have failed at Man Utd. I love his youthfulness and the exuberance that follows him, but we’ll have to see what happens in sticky times because it’s a tough job to have at such a young age.
“I think Amorim is coming out and saying the right things, but until he’s in the hot seat, we have no idea what to expect. We do know that Man Utd went out and got their man, which is the main thing. Erik ten Hag could have gone a lot sooner in a lot of people’s eyes. But they’ve gone out and got their man now, and hopefully, he’s right for the job.”