Ruud van Nistelrooy to Leicester City: Tactics compared to Enzo Maresca, what the players said

Former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is the latest name to be linked with the Leicester City hotseat.

The Dutchman has been out of work since leaving PSV Eindhoven a year ago, but is said to be under consideration for City as they search for a suitable successor to Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca. Van Nistelrooy has a small share of being named his successor.

Most know him best as the ultimate goalscorer who led the line at Old Trafford for five years and so may not be aware of his record in the dugout. Here, we’ll take a look at his managerial credentials, his tactics, what the players have said about him and more.

READ MORE: What the city needs from the new boss when Maresca leaves, he misses it

READ MORE: Why City are still an attractive club, as Maresca’s successor points out

What is his track record?

Like Maresca, Van Nistelrooy spent much of the early years of his coaching career as an assistant or in youth football, working at PSV or his national team. His first big test was as head coach of Jong PSV, the reserve team of the Dutch giants, who play in the Dutch second division.

Under Van Nistelrooy’s guidance, they finished 12th out of 20 in the 2021–22 season. But working with a squad whose average age was under 20, Van Nistelrooy impressed the hierarchy enough to be selected to fill the senior position at PSV from 2022 onwards.

In his first season in charge, Van Nistelrooy’s PSV finished second in the Eredivisie to new Liverpool manager Arne Slot and his Feyenoord side, but won the Dutch Cup, beating Ajax on penalties in the finals. They also had the best offense in the league.

A week before the end of the campaign, Van Nistelrooy resigned. In a statement issued by PSV, it was said that the former striker believed that “there is not enough support within the club to continue any longer”.

Van Nistelrooy has a good track record of bringing in youth players as well. When Noni Madueke was sold to Chelsea it gave Johan Bakayoko, a player he had worked with at Jong PSV, a more prominent player on the right flank and the Belgian has gone from strength to strength since then and could be a to follow. this summer at Euro.

How do his teams play?

PSV have predominantly played in a 4-2-3-1 shape under Van Nistelrooy, but most interestingly, in attack that shape has changed to a 3-2-4-1 as City lined up under Maresca. But that had to be adjusted midway through the season.

In the first half of the campaign, a full-back would come in, as is the case with Ricardo Pereira at City. But when first-choice players Cody Gakpo and Madueke were sold to Liverpool and Chelsea in January 2023, Van Nistelrooy struggled.

He then opted to play Xavi Simons on the left wing in possession, but as an attacking midfielder in possession. At left-back, City’s most regular former loanee Patrick van Aanholt will then move forward to become a left-back. The right back would roam to form a back three.

With both Jong PSV in 21-22 and PSV in 22-23, Van Nistelrooy’s sides ranked fourth in their leagues for possession. There was an element of aggressive defending with plenty of tackles and interceptions won by PSV, especially given the average possession, but not many of those were in the attacking third and more likely to come in the center of the park.

What did his players say about him?

Before Jarrad Branthwaite impressed for Everton and earned England call-ups, he was on loan at Van Nistelrooy’s PSV. As an excellent striker, Van Nistelrooy also knows how to make his defenders better.

Branthwaite said: “As a forward, Ruud knew what defenders didn’t like, so he was always giving me little tips, about body positions and how to defend against different types of forwards, which helped me enormously. The whole experience matured me as a player, and as a person, and I came back a much better player than I was 12 months ago.”

Of course, he can train the finish as well, having scored 349 goals in 592 club games throughout his career. Madueke said shortly after joining Chelsea: “Ruud van Nistelrooy helped me a lot, obviously in front of goal.

“He’s a great player, a great coach and a great person. If you went and talked to him right now, you wouldn’t feel like you were talking to the legend Ruud van Nistelrooy, you would just feel like you were talking to Ruud the man.”

Why did he leave PSV and what does he want next?

At the end of the season, there were reports that Van Nistelrooy had a strained relationship with his two assistants Fred Rutten and Andre Ooijer, which the manager denied. There was also said to be tension with the players, with senior members of the squad speaking to the club about it. This led to a club meeting with Van Nistelrooy, after which he resigned.

A club statement said that “following several internal affairs discussions that have taken place in recent weeks… Van Nistelrooy reported this morning that, in his opinion, there was not enough support within the club to continue any further.” He immediately explained this to the players and staff.”

Van Nistelrooy hasn’t worked since, but is looking to get back into the dugout. He said this month: “I would really like to work in Spain and I have had conversations with Spanish clubs. But also the other leagues in which I played, I want to coach there too. In the Premier League and the Bundesliga.”

Does Van Nistelrooy sound like a good fit for you? Let us know in the comments section HERE