Ruud van Nistelrooy staying at Man Utd was unworkable - but decision makers miss a trick

Without being preposterously old school, there was a time when a man-hug was a rarity. But in the world of new-school football management, no-one leaves it at a handshake… or even bothers with a handshake.

And Ruben Amorim seems a very touchy-feely type of modern head coach. On his arrival at his new club’s training complex on Monday, he embraced everyone in sight - even Mason Mount, who has not been shown that much love at Manchester United for a long while.

And there was a tighter squeeze for Omar Berrada, the chief executive who, presumably, was one of the stronger driving forces behind Amorim’s appointment. The logistics of Amorim’s appointment - allowing him to serve notice at Sporting Lisbon - could have backfired but, on the face of it, have worked out well.

Three wins, one draw and 11 goals in the four games since Erik ten Hag was dismissed, Amorim will start work with a squad that seems to have had a much-needed injection of confidence, self-belief and direction. And while the idea of him staying at the club and assisting Amorim was clearly unworkable, the man who provided that injection was Ruud van Nistelrooy.

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It was only a cameo, it was only a four-match interim spell that mainly featured opponents who had significant limitations, but it was eye-catching enough to suggest Van Nistelrooy will, indeed, be a United manager of the future. At men’s senior elite level, Van Nistelrooy has now taken charge of 55 matches - 51 with PSV and those four with United - and has only lost eight of them.

He has won 36 of those games and his teams have scored a total of 137 goals at an average of two and a half a game. That is impressive stuff.

But it was not only the results that impressed during Van Nistelrooy’s short time as the main man at United. He had a tactical flexibility that appeared to pay dividends and had a calmness and clarity in the technical area and in front of the media that must have been reassuring for his players.

In some ways, it is hard not to think that the Old Trafford brains trust assembled by Sir Jim Ratcliffe missed a trick. Was there really a rush for Amorim? Was he going to go elsewhere before the end of the season? Did Van Nistelrooy deserve a longer crack at it?

Now, it is all irrelevant and, despite Amorim having a longish goodbye with Sporting, at least United acted decisively when dispensing with Ten Hag’s services. Van Nistelrooy’s brief stint has meant Amorim takes over a team that is on a relative high. For that, the Dutchman deserves Amorim’s gratitude.

And Van Nistelrooy already has the gratitude of Manchester United supporters, that much was clear in the emotional aftermath of last Sunday’s win over Leicester City. There is no way Van Nistelrooy could have stayed under Amorim … but he will be back, make no mistake.

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