Inside Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester revolution including telling players to ‘show faces to fans’ & changing training
BILAL EL KHANNOUSS reckons Leicester’s players cannot fail to be motivated by the Ruud van Nistelrooy effect.
The Foxes head into today’s home game with Brighton on the back of a much-needed 3-1 win over West Ham on Tuesday.
And El Khannouss, 20, scored his first Prem goal to help Van Nistelrooy make an ideal start to his Leicester reign.
The attacking midfielder may be too young to have seen former goal king Van Nistelrooy in his prime — but he still knows a legend when he sees one.
And he revealed the Foxes heeded the Dutchman’s inspirational words ahead of his first game in charge at the King Power Stadium.
El Khannouss said: “He was directly clear from the start the way he wanted to play.
“During training, he said, ‘OK guys, we didn’t train a lot — we’ve had one day together. But you have to play with your hearts today. You have to show new faces to the fans.’ So that’s what we did.”
The Morocco international would not have been expecting to play under former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker Van Nistelrooy when he signed for predecessor Steve Cooper in a £20million summer move from Genk.
And he admitted: “I was too young to see him play.
“But I’ve seen clips — I knew who he was. When Ruud steps in for the first time — and he’s in front of you — you feel his presence directly.
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“He has been a top player. We listen to him.”
Having bagged his first league goal for Leicester, El Khannouss hopes he can repeat the experience when Brighton visit the King Power Stadium today.
He added: “It was an amazing feeling to score in the biggest league in the world. It’s a dream and the start of something big — I am hoping to score more.”
El Khannouss made just three league starts under Cooper, who was sacked a fortnight ago after just 12 league games in charge.
But the player had done his homework before joining Leicester, speaking to some of his Moroccan international team-mates ahead of making the move from Belgium.
He added: “Players like Hakim Ziyech who played here for Chelsea, Nayef Aguerd who played for West Ham, they know the league and know it’s very tough.
“I also spoke to Romain Saiss who played for Wolves. They are happy for me that I’m here. I asked for some advice before I played here.
“They told me I was going to a good club with nice fans in a good city and that I would improve there.
“But I wouldn’t sign for just anyone, like some crazy guy — you have to ask people!”
El Khannouss also speaks five languages — while learning Spanish as a sixth. And he says it is no hobby but vital to communicate with all of his team-mates.
He added: “When I’m in the dressing room I can speak to Boubakary Soumare in French, Wout Faes in Dutch.
“I can also improve my Spanish so I can speak to Facundo Buonanotte. That’s the way I am.
“Football is amazing in the UK. It’s in the culture of the country. You see all the stadiums and you feel like it’s something special here.
“I’ve been adapting for two or three months. Now that’s over and I have to perform.”