New Delhi: Ruud van Nistelrooy is set to become Leicester City’s new manager, stepping into a role that has seen considerable turnover in recent months. The 48-year-old Dutchman is lined up to replace Steve Cooper who was dismissed after a brief stint of 157 days following Leicester’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea in the Premier League.
Van Nistelrooy’s appointment comes shortly after he left an interim coaching role at Manchester United. Despite an impressive record of three wins and one draw during his tenure at Old Trafford he was not retained in the backroom staff by new United manager Ruben Amorim, leading to his departure.
Two of his victories were against Leicester City 5-0 in the Carabao Cup last 16 and a 3-0 win in the Premier League. The 48-year-old has previously worked as PSV Eindhoven’s manager in the Netherlands before joining the Red Devils and helped them win the KNVB Cup at the end of the 2022-23 season.
🚨🦊 Ruud van Nistelrooy set to be appointed as new Leicester City head coach!
Agreement done and documents being signed with his camp, as @TeleFootball reports. pic.twitter.com/X5nugcHjAq
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 27, 2024
One of Van Nistelrooy’s key challenges will be winning over a dressing room that reportedly struggled to connect with Cooper’s approach. While senior players like Jamie Vardy were vocal in their support of Cooper, the lack of cohesion among the entire squad proved detrimental.
The former Manchester United and Netherlands striker appointment signals a fresh start for the Foxes as they aim to climb out of the relegation battle and rediscover their footing in the league. With his experience as a player and his recent stints in managerial roles, Leicester City fans will be hoping that the Dutchman can reignite the club’s fortunes and bring stability to a turbulent season.
What next?
Leicester City currently sit precariously in 16th place in the Premier League standings, just one point clear of the relegation zone after 12 games. The club’s season have been turbulent with only two league wins under Steve Cooper who was appointed in the summer to succeed Enzo Maresca after Maresca’s move to Chelsea.
With Leicester’s next match against Brentford looming on Saturday, it remains unclear whether Van Nistelrooy will be in the dugout for his debut. Given the limited time to prepare interim manager Ben Dawson, who was part of Cooper’s staff, remains poised to lead the side.
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