SAMI MOKBEL: Why Van Nistelrooy's role at United is raising eyebrows

The elephant in the room at Manchester United: Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Goals - lots of them - for the club. Revered by supporters. An undeniable connection to the club’s glorious past, a period United - in its current guise - are so desperately trying to replicate.

A relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson. Van Nistelrooy’s long-term agent Roger Linse has a long standing relationship with the club.

According to sources in Holland, Linse has spent more time in Manchester in recent weeks.

For many reasons, Van Nistelrooy’s return to Old Trafford has certainly got tongues wagging back in Holland.

The big man is back. You wonder, though, what Erik ten Hag makes of it all.

In discussions with United chiefs at the end of the season that resulted in Ten Hag keeping his job under intense speculation that he would be leaving for INEOS to make their own appointment, it was decided the Dutch coach would replenish his support team.

Rene Hake, a long-term friend of Ten Hag, was among the new coaching arrivals.

Intriguingly, Hake, like Ten Hag and a host of players to have arrived at Old Trafford since the Dutchman’s appointment from Ajax in 2022, is a client of Dutch management agency SEG.

SEG’s involvement in United’s transfer dealings prior to INEOS’ arrival has been heavily documented in recent months.

The other coach to arrive was Van Nistelrooy, a move greeted with some skepticism back in Holland.

Van Nistelrooy had been out of work for over 12 months having left his job as PSV Eindhoven’s boss under a cloud.

The 48-year-old’s reign at Philips Stadion was overshadowed by talk of private clashes with his players, many of whom held grave concerns over Van Nistelrooy’s coaching abilities.

Some players felt he was stubborn and unwilling to adapt his approach. Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf carried a story detailing that a number of key players had even approached PSV's board to express their reservations about Van Nistelrooy’s methods.

Van Nistelrooy is a popular figure in PSV’s history having scored 62 goals in 67 games before clinching his move to United in 2001.

But that only gets you so far with the modern player. It certainly did for Van Nistelrooy during his 15 month spell in charge of PSV: the former Holland striker felt so let down by the whole affair that he took the decision to walk away before the 2022-23 season had finished.

At the time, there was a sense in Holland that Van Nistelrooy would walk into a new job. His profile speaks for itself and he'd just led PSV to the Dutch Cup in 2023, where they defeated Ajax in the final.

Heerenveen considered Van Nistelrooy for their head coach’s position, but decided against the appointment as concerns of his coaching approach did the rounds.

So when United called in the summer, the attraction for Van Nistelrooy - even though it wasn’t a head coach’s position he craved - to return to work was clear.

Yet, even then there was a level surprise back in his homeland that Ten Hag had approved Van Nistelrooy’s appointment.

At PSV, Van Nistelrooy was assisted by respected Dutch coach Fred Rutten, who is coincidently one of Ten Hag’s closest confidants.

Indeed, Rutten turned the opportunity to join United as Ten Hag’s assistant two years ago.

There is every chance Ten Hag would have consulted Rutten about the prospect of working with Van Nistelrooy at some point over the summer.

Given how Van Nistelrooy’s spell in charge of PSV panned out, you’d imagine that may have been an enlightening conversation for Ten Hag.

Of course, the attraction to Van Nistelrooy for INEOS is obvious. An iconic name from the club’s prestigious past; in terms of PR it ticks several boxes.

He has instant credit in the bank with supporters, too.

But you can’t help but feel the shadow of Van Nistelrooy is one Ten Hag could probably do without.

Was Van Nistelrooy’s return a Ten Hag or INEOS production? If Ten Hag fails to turn United’s season around, we will find out soon enough.

Whether Van Nistelrooy is considered for the top job at United, perhaps initially on a caretaker capacity, should Ten Hag lose his job will be intriguing.

Many in Holland believe Van Nistelrooy would struggle to turn down such an opportunity.

He loves the club and has lofty ambitions of his own. It doesn’t get loftier than Manchester United.

League sides divided over broadcasting inovation 

The Premier League are in talks with clubs over introducing mid-game player interviews as a staple of their broadcasting packages from next season.

Sky Sports trailed the idea for the first time on Monday night as part of their coverage of Bournemouth’s 3-1 win over Southampton.

Cherries player Marcus Tavernier, who was substituted in 76th minute was interviewed by Sky’s pitchside reporter as he came off the field.

And Mail Sport has learned that top-flight chiefs are in consultation with all 20 clubs about making the new feature a regular fixture in next season’s output.

However, there is understood to be significant opposition towards the proposals from teams towards the upper echelons of the division.

While teams towards the lower reaches of the league see value in the idea, there is a sense that the cons outweigh the pros, with issues such as player safety and the prospect of interviewees being left in compromising situations according to what develops on the field among the initial concerns of top clubs.

Nevertheless, the Premier League see the concept of capturing players' views while they play unfolds as an innovative way of bringing the viewer closer to the action.

That level of access will also likely add value to forthcoming global broadcasting packages when they next go out to tender.

The Premier League have taken note of how wicket-keeper cam in cricket and pit lane interviews in motor racing have brought the viewer richer insight than ever before, and are examining ways of replicating that with football.

Villa face fight for academy prospect 

Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey is interesting a number of Premier League clubs ahead of next summer.

Ramsey, who came off injured during last night’s Champions League match versus Bayern Munich, managed to keep hold of their talented 23-year-old in the summer despite varying levels of interest from Tottenham and Arsenal.

Having successfully solved their profit and sustainability issues in June, there was never any realistic chance of Villa cashing in on their academy graduate in the previous transfer window.

But Ramsey remains on the ‘long-term recruitment lists’ of a number of top sides who are already preparing to revisit their interest in 2025, leaving Villa facing a fight to keep their highly-rated midfielder.

As things stand, Ramsey will have two years remaining on his Villa Park contract at the end of the season which could tempt the Midlands club into considering offers to avoid their midfielder entering into his final 12 months.

Tensions ramp up at Selhurst Park 

Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was angered by head coach Oliver Glasner’s decision to hook him at half-time of their recent clash against Manchester United.

The forward was replaced before the second half in the 0-0 draw against Erik ten Hag’s team on September 28 and sources have indicate Mateta was far from happy about the substitution.

Palace were largely dominated by United in the first-half of the game and Glasner took off Mateta and Adam Wharton at half-time, in place of Ismaila Sarr and Jefferson Lerma, with a view to fixing his team’s clear deficiencies.

Glasner stuck with the 27-year-old striker for last weekend’s clash against Everton as Mateta played the full 90 minutes of the the 2-1 loss at Goodison.

Mateta’s long-term future at Selhurst Park is currently unclear amid a contract stand-off.

The forward wants a new deal in-excess of £100,000-per-week - but as yet there is no agreement. Talks, though, are described as open and ongoing.

Eddie Nketiah’s arrival from Arsenal in the summer window has placed further question marks over Mateta’s position at Palace.

So far Nketiah has been deployed in a deeper than usual role, with Mateta continuing at centre-forward.

But Nketiah was signed as a striker and it remains to be seen whether Glasner can continue playing the former Arsenal man in the same XI as Mateta.

Merson misses out 

You can take Paul Merson out of football. Taking football out of Merson, however - that’s proving more difficult.

Merson, a regular Sky Sports pundit, has fully immersed himself into his new role as a contestant on iconic BBC One show Strictly Come Dancing.

But it appears his dedication to keeping abreast of developments around the grounds on Saturday night is just as fierce.

His Strictly schedule, which sees Merson committed to hours of dress rehearsals on Saturday afternoon, has created obvious hurdles for the former Arsenal and Aston Villa forward from keeping an eye on the scores.

But, by all accounts, is using every spare minute to ensure he is updated on the goals as they go in.

It’s not quite the Soccer Saturday studio, but needs must.

Hodgson's Eurotrip 

Roy Hodgson is scheduled to attend next week’s European Club Association General Assembly in Athens next week.

The highly-respected coach has kept a low profile since his departure from Crystal Palace in February but is scheduled to make a public appearance in the Greek capital for the two-day conference which starts on October 8.

Hodgson suffered a health scare in the days leading up to leaving Selhurst Park and has spent much of his time recuperating by travelling.

But the 77-year-old's dedication to football shows no signs of relenting.

No decision yet from Greenwood 

FIFA are yet to receive Mason Greenwood’s formal application to switch his international registration from England to Jamaica.

Greenwood, according to sources, has decided he wants to represent the Reggae Boyz, who have made no secret of their intentions to persuade the striker to play for them.

The 23-year-old, who is of Jamaican descent, has impressed since joining Marseille in the summer - scoring five goals in six Ligue One appearances so far.

But, as of Wednesday night, FIFA were still waiting for Greenwood to file his ‘change of association request’ ahead of anticipated switch to Jamaica.

Greenwood has fallen out of the England picture owing to his well-documented off-the-pitch problems but has been handed an international lifeline by Steve McClaren, who is in charge of Jamaica.

Greenwood has one senior England cap, which came against Iceland in 2020. He was sent home after the game in Reykjavik, together with Phil Foden, for bringing women back to the team hotel.

Walker boils over at the Etihad 

Members of the Arsenal bench were left shocked at Manchester City defender’s Kyle Walker’s fury in the aftermath of John Stones' dramatic late equaliser in the recent Battle of the Etihad.

Both benches clashed after Stones broke Arsenal hearts to equalise in the final minute of stoppage time. And it is understood that Walker’s furious reaction during the heated scenes had taken many sat on the Gunners bench by surprise.

Walker had to be restrained at one point but eventually regained his composure as the initial escalation in tensions calmed.

A return trip for Hughes - with an eye to buy?  

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes was in the stands at former club Bournemouth this week for their clash against Southampton.

The Anfield supremo returned to the club he left earlier this year and was sat in the directors box of the Vitality Stadium as his ex-employers notched a comfortable 3-1 victory.

There was certainly plenty talent for the Hughes to keep an eye on Monday night.

Bournemouth duo Antoine Semenyo and Milos Kerkez are emerging as targets for a number of Premier League teams.

Southampton’s talented teenager Tyler Dibling, 18, is widely viewed as one of England’s brightest young prospects.

More time for Textor 

Raine Group, the merchant bank handling the proposed sale of John Textor’s stake in Crystal Palace, have told the remaining parties to allow the businessman time to ‘reflect’ on his next move after his bid to buy Everton collapsed.

The tycoon appeared to be in pole position to takeover at Goodison Park before it emerged Dan Friedkin had agreed a deal to buy current owner Farhad Moshiri’s shares in the Toffees, leaving Textor’s position unclear.

Textor had hoped to fast-track the sale of his 45 percent shareholding at Selhurst to facilitate his bid to buy Everton but Friedkin’s hijack has created uncertainty over the US businessman’s plans for his shares in Palace.

Indeed, it is understood Raine have told the remaining interested parties to allow Textor time to consider his options regarding his Eagles shareholding.

Eagles sources have indicated that Textor would be interested in buying Josh Harris and David Blitzer’s shares in the Selhurst Park club.

However industry insiders believe Harris and Blitzer are currently not willing sellers.

Schouten matches impressive record amid Premier League interest

PSV Eindhoven midfielder Jerdy Schouten became the first player to record 17 ball recoveries in a Champions League game since Rodri achieved the feat in April 2023.

Schouten is being close watched by a number of a Premier League sides and his performance in the 1-1 draw versus Sporting has been noted by his English suitors.

Rodri made 17 ball recoveries in the Champions League quarter final victory over Bayern Munich and his feat hadn’t been matches until now.