Ruud van Nistelrooy has disclosed that Erik ten Hag felt “hurt” by his sacking from Manchester United at the start of this week, following a disappointing start to the 2024/25 season.
Van Nistelrooy was appointed interim manager shortly after Ten Hag’s departure, having been brought back to the club by Ten Hag during the summer, 18 years after he last played for United.
“I saw him on Monday and spoke to him before the [Leicester City] game,” Van Nistelrooy told reporters on Wednesday after a commanding 5-2 victory in the Carabao Cup. “He was disappointed and emotional because he truly cared for the club. In our early conversations when I returned, it was clear how much he loved the club and wanted to help it progress. That’s why he’s hurting from having to leave, but he is also proud of his achievements here, having won two cups.”
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During his tenure, Ten Hag secured the Carabao Cup in his debut season, ending a six-year trophy drought for United that began after the 2016/17 campaign. He then added the FA Cup last season, notably defeating Manchester City in the final at Wembley.
This success places Ten Hag among a select group of United managers over the last 146 years who have won two or more major trophies, alongside legends such as Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Matt Busby, Ernest Mangnall, Ron Atkinson, and Jose Mourinho.
However, Ten Hag could not withstand a poor start to the current season, which saw United sitting in 14th place in the Premier League after nine matches, winning only three league games and failing to secure any wins in Europe. The defeat to West Ham last Sunday proved to be the final straw for the club’s hierarchy, leading to his dismissal.