'I'm a Man Utd target who played under Ruud van Nistelrooy - he was brilliant for me'
Ruud van Nistelrooy once received a glowing review from a player who was linked with a move to Manchester United last summer. The Dutchman has taken charge of the Red Devils on an interim basis until Ruben Amorim arrives at Old Trafford later this month.
Van Nistelrooy won his first game in the dugout, with United cruising to an emphatic win over Leicester City in the Carabao Cup. A brace from Casemiro as well as goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes secured a 5-2 victory on home soil.
The former United striker already has experience in management, having been in charge of PSV Eindhoven for the 2022/23 campaign. He led them to a second-placed league finish and won two trophies, the KNVB Cup and the Johan Cruyff Shield.
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One of the players Van Nistelrooy managed was Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, who was heavily linked with United during the summer window. A move never materialised but the Red Devils have been tipped to reignite their interest in the future.
Branthwaite was full of praise for Van Nistelrooy when quizzed on his style of management last year, revealing that he offered plenty of helpful tips when it came to defending.
"He was brilliant for me," said Branthwaite. "He would advise me on my defensive body positioning and the significance of being side-on, ensuring I’m always prepared to retreat or press forward.
"He warned that without the correct body shape, you’ll be caught out because the Premier League is much quicker. If they play it behind you and you’re not side-on, the striker will already be away."
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Branthwaite was used sparingly during the first half of his loan spell, but Van Nistelrooy pledged to increase his involvement in the second half of the campaign. It was a promise he kept, with the Everton defender becoming a regular at the back.
"He sat me down for half an hour and said I was going to play every game in the second half of the season," recalled Branthwaite.
"At the time, I was like: 'You can say that, but how am I meant to believe you?’. We were on a winter break, I was on holiday, and he kept ringing me every day, saying: 'Trust me, you are going to play'.
"I sat down with my mum, dad and my agent and said, 'He wouldn’t go to all this effort if he wasn’t going to play me'. I decided to trust him and it worked out well."
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