Ruud van Nistelrooy makes immediate impact at Man Utd as youngster speaks out on new coach

Manchester United’s rising star Joe Hugill has lauded the influence of Ruud van Nistelrooy since his induction into the coaching team.

Mitchell van der Gaag, who served as Erik ten Hag’s deputy for two years, departed the club this summer, paving the way for Van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake to step in.

Van Nistelrooy’s move is intriguing. He kicked off his managerial career on a high note, clinching the Dutch Cup with PSV Eindhoven in 2023, and was in discussions to take over at Burnley before deciding to join Ten Hag’s staff.

His return to United, where he enjoyed a five-year stint as a player, has been met with enthusiasm from supporters, and it is anticipated that his presence will be particularly beneficial to the squad’s forwards.

United faced Rangers in their second pre-season friendly on Saturday afternoon, with Hugill netting a stunning second goal to make it 2-0.

In a post-match interview, Hugill couldn’t help but smile when asked about Van Nistelrooy, revealing: “We’ve been doing a few shooting drills and he’s been giving me a few tips.

“It’s massive having Ruud here, especially for people like myself, young and coming up, to have him in the building, even to ask questions, is massive.”

Van Nistelrooy’s role as a first-team coach extends beyond just assisting the forwards. “Definitely, even in and out of possession. We’re massive on out of possession here,” Hugill added, highlighting Van Nistelrooy’s comprehensive advice.

“So your work rate, getting back, and then in possession is doing what strikers do, battling up there and then when you get back in front of goal, being composed and finishing.”

Hugill expressed his joy at finding the net in United’s second pre-season match: “It’s massive [to score early in the season], especially when you’re a striker. You want to score every game but the reality is it’s probably not going to happen. To get an early goal in pre-season helps you start really well.

“My target this summer is just to work hard, get the fitness up, try impress the manager and the coaching staff, and see what happens.”

After playing the second half against Rangers and entering as a substitute at half-time against Rosenborg earlier in the week, Hugill reflected on Ten Hag’s stern critique of United’s outing in Norway: “It was just to work a bit harder.

“It was the first game of pre-season, so there was obviously going to be a few mistakes, but I think after the week’s training, kind of built up a lot more work and we were ready to go. It’s tough every day with the first team, the demands are high, so you’ve got to be on it every day.”

Returning from his loan spell at Burton Albion, Hugill shared insights into his time there: “It was a great loan, getting to a men’s first-team changing room,” he said.

“Having to fight for three points constantly in the league [was great] and playing Saturday then Tuesday was tough, but that’s what you’re there for at a young age.”