Man Utd legend fears ‘something not quite right’ about Van Nistelrooy’s Old Trafford return and ‘saw it with Roy Keane’
MANCHESTER UNITED icon Dwight Yorke fears there is something strange about Ruud van Nistelrooy’s return to Old Trafford.
Van Nistelrooy, 48, completed an emotional return to Manchester this summer after a legendary five-year stint playing under Sir Alex Ferguson, who signed him back in 2001.
Van Nistelrooy has joined Erik Ten Hag’s coaching staff as United’s assistant manager – and has been credited for signing Arsenal prodigy Chido Obi-Martin to the club this week.
It is thought that the man who scored 150 goals in 219 games for the Red Devils could help spur on United’s young attack next season.
But Yorke – who also shined under Ferguson – believes there’s more than meets the eye with the move.
Yorke told BoyleSports, who offer the latest Champions League Betting: “Something is not quite right about that, in my opinion, because although he’s very professional.
“I’m sure he’ll go in there and do all his due diligence for the manager and work under the manager’s regime – but I don’t like the bigger picture.
“I’ve got to be honest. I’d rather sit on the side and be clear in my intention of being a full-time manager.
“I just think the environment is not quite right, even though you’re pushing for the team to win and I’m sure that’s the case with Ruud.
“But if that doesn’t go well, then there is only one person who’s going to take the blame and be sacked.
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“That is unless Ruud decides to leave if Ten Hag goes, but personally I wouldn’t like to be in his position.
“I’ve seen it with Roy Keane, under Paul Lambert, under the likes of Martin O’Neill as well, it wasn’t for Keane to be a number two.
“And I like to think Ruud is similar in that sense, having said that it’s such a great opportunity to be at United as it’s not easy to turn your back on in any role.”
The former Trinidad and Tobago striker further added that it is “obvious” that United would appoint Van Nistelrooy should Ten Hag be sacked.
Yorke, 52, also believes that England U21 coach Lee Carsley will land the top job and replace Gareth Southgate, who quit two days after the Three Lions’ 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euros final.
He said: “I think the FA want to showcase that England has got a quality level of managers and I think that they want us to probably ideally go with an English manager.
“They will have a hard time picking the manager, but I think they will go for Carsley as a first option for the next few games just to see how he gets on.
“I think then the season will start and then things will take shape, if things don’t go to plan at Newcastle for Eddie Howe then he might end up with England.
“They will go for an interim manager with Carlsey for a few games in September and see how that goes. If he gets a really good response then he could be installed as the full -time manager.
“If that doesn’t go to plan, Howe, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard will come into the frame.”