Jaap Stam believes his former teammate Ruud van Nistelrooy will walk away from Manchester United rather than remain on as a part of Ruben Amorim’s coaching staff.
Club legend van Nistelrooy has been placed in temporary charge as interim manager at Old Trafford following the sacking of Erik ten Hag on Monday.
Sporting Lisbon boss Amorim has agreed a deal to become the next permanent United manager with the Premier League officially confirming his appointment on Friday.
The 39-year-old however will remain in his post in Lisbon until after their game against Braga on 10 November before heading to Manchester during the international break.
It leaves van Nistelrooy in charge for three more games following a thrilling first evening in the dugout against Leicester City on Wednesday.
The former striker returned to Manchester in the summer to join Ten Hag’s backroom staff, a move that surprised some having served as PSV Eindhoven first-team manager last year.
Amorim is expected to arrive in Manchester with his own backroom staff, casting doubt on the Dutchman’s future.
Van Nistelrooy explained on Friday he would like to stay on the United staff following the arrival of the new boss, making a pointed reference to his two-year contract during a press conference on Thursday.
Stam and van Nistelrooy’s paths crossed only briefly at United, with the striker joining early in the summer of 2001 with Stam controversially sold to Lazio two months later – still regarded as perhaps Sir Alex Ferguson’s most glaring transfer error.
The pair lined up alongside each other for Netherlands with the former defender fully aware of how highly-regarded his countryman remains at Old Trafford.
But Stam believes van Nistelrooy may choose to seek a fresh challenge once Amorim and his staff are in his place.
‘A man like Ruud, coming in as the legend he is, he needs to have a certain position within the club, where people look up to him and one where he can make a difference,’ Stam told courtesy of BetMGM.
‘Amorin will probably want to bring in his own assistants, people he has worked with over the years. If that happens, is Ruud becoming just another assistant, one of the coaches? Is that right position for Ruud? I don’t think so, I would find that hard to believe, because Ruud has more in his locker than being just one of the coaches for Manchester United.
‘It will be up to Ruud of course but I can’t see him doing that under new management.’
United put five past Leicester on Wednesday – a tally they failed to hit once under Ten Hag – with van Nistelrooy leading the team out once again on Sunday against Chelsea. He will also be in the dugout against PAOK in the Europa League on Thursday before another meeting with Leicester, this one in the Premier League, on 10 November.
Four wins from four could leave United’s decision-makers in an uncomfortable position with Stam admitting it would be a ‘shame’ to see van Nistelrooy leave in those circumstances.
‘They might need to give him a contract!’ Stam joked. ‘It would be great for Ruud to win them all. The club do appear to be going in a different way with the new manager but it gives Ruud the chance to do something with the group in the short-term, starting against Chelsea on Sunday.
‘If you can get a result against them it will be a huge boost for everyone. We Dutch people, we always want Dutch managers everywhere but it is not just about that. Ruud is a good manager, he did well in Holland and has the potential to become a great one.
‘You would like him to get more than just a couple of games leading the team. But the club have already made their decision and that is a shame for Ruud.’
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