Ruud van Nistelrooy reveals emotional conversation with sacked Man Utd boss Ten Hag as he makes Ruben Amorim plea

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY has called on Ruben Amorim to let him stay at Manchester United and help take the club back to the top.

Van Nistelrooy’s position as an assistant manager is under threat now Erik ten Hag has gone with Amorim planning to bring his own backroom team in.

Ruud van Nistelrooy wants to stay on as a United assistant

Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim is set to become United’s permanent boss

But the interim boss, who oversaw a 5-2 Carabao Cup victory over Leicester on Wednesday, says he has the ability and knowledge of United to help him as part of that new management team.

Van Nistelrooy said: “I decided to come back here for a very important reason.

“I came as an assistant to help the club move forward and I’m still motivated to do so in any capacity.

“I’m very motivated to stay here and help the club forward, that’s my absolute goal.

“It’s gonna be a short job as an interim, that was communicated very clear, I was happy with that, I will then go back to my assistant contract that I have here for this season and next.

“When a new manager is signing and conversations take place we have to see how things develop.”

Van Nistelrooy was given the interim job after Ten Hag was sacked just three months into his third season after winning the Carabao Cup and FA Cup in his two full campaigns in charge.

And Van Nistelrooy revealed the manager was emotional about having to leave.

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He said: “He is very disappointed and touched. I really felt he loved and cared for the club.

“He wanted to bring this club forward and that’s why we connected. That is why it hurt that he had to leave, but he was also proud of the achievements with the club winning two cups.

“In the end it’s also clear in football it’s the results and Erik also said that.

“In pre-season we had new staff, it was very positive, and we were working hard to bring the club forward.

“Obviously there are things you can’t explain sometimes.

“I remember the Brighton goal we scored that was ruled out, then you concede and it’s 2-1.

“There’ve been so many games we could’ve got a better result; at Palace, West Ham, Fenerbahce and Porto, but it’s about results this game, that’s our jobs.”

The club legend scored 150 goals in 219 games and was understandably given a warm welcome when he took his place in the dugout on Wednesday.

He will be back there for Chelsea‘s visit on Sunday and probably two more games before the current Sporting Lisbon boss takes the reins after the next international break in mid-November.

The former PSV Eindhoven gaffer admitted it was strange to be in the Old Trafford dugout 18 years after he left the club as a player.

He said: “I left in 2006, oh my God what a long time ago.

“But it was special to come back to the club and city I loved so much and still do, I enjoy being around Manchester and enjoy being around players and staff here.

“It’s the other side, being a football player or manager or assistant, it’s complete opposite sides.

“I’m standing in front of the team, talking to them about what Manchester United is about, playing at Old Trafford, what songs are being sung by the fans and why.

“You try to transmit that lovely feeling of playing for this club and it is a proud moment to do that and share it with the players.”

Not surprisingly he turned to his former boss Sir Alex Ferguson for advice before the game.

The pair fell out, leading to Van Nistelrooy’s exit back in 2006 but have long since made up.

He said: “We spoke about my situation and the team. Most of all he wished me luck. It is always great to speak to him.”

Ten Hag spent £600million in his time as boss including another £200million this last summer.

It has left many wondering if it was money well spent but Van Nistelrooy wants to show it was.

Van Nistelrooy said: “I think what is important is to get the maximum from these players.

“This Premier League season, and all the other games we are going to play, will give us a very good and clear picture where the club is.

“It is a big challenge, everybody is convinced with this group of players that we can and have to perform better than we have at the moment.”