RUUD SET TO STRIKE FEAR
Nistelroy | 05 June, 2006 18:07
Ruud van Nistelrooy is convinced Holland's three-pronged Premiership strikeforce can guide his country to World Cup glory this summer.
Dutch coach Marco van Basten seems certain to link Van Nistelrooy with Chelsea's Arjan Robben and Arsenal firebrand Robin van Persie when his side open their arduous Group C campaign against Serbia and Montenegro in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.
The trio looked like forming an effective combination in yesterday's final friendly with Australia in Rotterdam.
All three men had opportunities to give the Dutch a handsome win, instead of eventually being forced to settle for a disappointing draw.
But, with Robben and Van Persie providing the rapier thrusts to go with Van Nistelrooy's strength, Van Basten may have hit on the way to emerge unscathed from a immensely tough pool which also includes third favourites Argentina and the Ivory Coast, runners-up in January's African Nations Cup.
"I think the link with Arjen and Robin really can work," said the 29-year-old Manchester United man.
"A lot of passes are being played up to me and both of them are capable of making good runs, which makes my job a lot easier.
"They are both excellent players and the idea is to get them on the ball as often as possible. Then they can use their skill to create opportunities and, in a group as tough as the one we are in, it could be a decisive factor."
After all the trials and tribulations of his final few weeks at Old Trafford, Van Nistelrooy has been rejuvenated by his return to the Dutch camp.
The forward may have fallen out of favour with Sir Alex Ferguson but he remains integral to Van Basten's plans and proved his worth again with another clinical finish which gave Holland an early lead.
It was Van Nistelrooy's 27th goal in 51 international appearances, further proof of why suitors are not likely to be in short supply when he comes to decide his long-term future once the World Cup is over.
His enthusiasm was obvious for all to see, as was his willingness to get stuck in for the Dutch cause against an Australian side showing plenty of aggressive intent.
"I feel really good," said Van Nistelrooy.
"The best thing of all is I feel really fit. I am definitely going into this tournament on a high and feel confident about our chances of doing well."
Van Nistelrooy's major concern were the injuries picked up by Wesley Sneijder and Philip Cocu, which threaten to wreck Van Basten's plans.
Sneijder in particular could see his World Cup dream shattered completely by the ankle injury which saw him carried off and, with fellow midfielder Rafael van der Vaart lacking match fitness after missing all Holland's pre-tournament friendlies with an ankle injury, the Dutch are limping into their opening game.
For Van Nistelrooy though, the major issue is making the step up in standard required to beat a side which conceded just one goal in qualifying.
It is a view shared by Robben, although the Chelsea winger is confident the seven-day gap between games will be enough to make the improvement needed.
"We have the system we want to play in place and we know what we want to do," he said.
"Our performances have improved over the past two weeks and overall, I think we can be quite satisfied with the way things have gone.
"We know there is still quite a bit of work to do and we will have to play better than we have done so far but there is still one week to go and I am very confident we can have a good World Cup."
PSV: Van Nistelrooy gets silver shield
Nistelroy | 01 June, 2006 11:04
Van Nistelrooy
By reaching this milestone, the striker has made a move up the all-time ranking of most capped Dutch international players. He is now above former international players Wim Jonk and Johan Neeskens. Giovanni van Bronckhorst recorded his 56th cap last weekend, by which he entered the top 25 of most capped Dutch international players.
Phillip Cocu: 96
Frank de Boer is still on top, having won 112 caps. Keeper Edwin van der Sar comes second, having made 108 appearances for the Dutch team and PSV captain Phillip Cocu has won 96 caps so far.
Van Basten Has Confidence In Ruud
Nistelroy | 24 May, 2006 14:02
The Reds striker spent the last two-and-a-half months of the 2005/06 season in and out of United's team.
He was also omitted from the squad for the final league match of the season against Charlton, with Sir Alex Ferguson citing “the spirit of the club” as the cause for van Nistelrooy's exclusion.
It prompted speculation that the Dutchman will leave Old Trafford this summer. Van Nistelrooy has since stated he wants to stay, but will wait until after the World Cup before discussing his future.
Van Basten, Ruud’s childhood hero and now his national boss, says he is confident in his leading striker to deliver the goods in Germany.
"I do not have any problems with Ruud," said van Basten. "I am totally confident in his ability.
"Ruud is a person who likes to work hard and he likes to win. He is a very important part of our national team."
Van Basten also wants to avoid a repeat of Holland’s ability in major tournaments to suffer from a fractured spirit in the camp.
"We must think the same way and we must work the same way,” he said. "It is a factor I have made absolutely clear to everyone in this squad.”
Man Utd warn Van Nistelrooy over compo claim
Nistelroy | 17 May, 2006 13:00
Van Nistelrooy, 29, has two years left on his current contract and the £90,000-a-week ace will want a year of that - £4.5million - if he is sold.
But manager Sir Alex Ferguson will rather pay him as a reserve than do that.
He will also deny Van Nistelrooy a move back to his old club PSV Eindhoven for a cut-price fee of around £5m.
However, both Milan clubs may be interested and French champs Lyon would DEFINITELY take him on board.
Van Nistelrooy preparing for United exile
Nistelroy | 08 May, 2006 16:58
As one of the few United first-team stars to speak up for Keane following the Irishman’s well-publicised, but never publicly heard, MUTV lambasting of the Red Devils lamentable performance in their 4-1 defeat at Middlesbrough in October, Van Nistelrooy was looking forward to the chance of meeting up with his old captain again.
Instead, the Dutchman will join him only in his exile from Old Trafford.
Although there has been no official confirmation from any party over Van Nistelrooy’s availability to face Celtic, it is understood the 29-year-old has already returned to the Netherlands to begin preparations for this summer’s World Cup.
Sir Alex Ferguson is due to speak with United chief executive David Gill in the next 24 hours to determine Van Nistelrooy’s future. However, it seems the player’s fate has already been sealed and once the World Cup is done, he will begin looking in earnest for a new club.
In truth, the process began some time ago, with Van Nistelrooy having at least one conversation with fellow countryman Clarence Seedorf about the possibility of him linking up with him at AC Milan, a club who are believed to be interested in acquiring the former PSV Eindhoven’s services.
Van Nistelrooy has so far opted not to speak out about the accusation from Ferguson that his attitude in training last week was undermining team morale to such an extent that he opted to select 19-year-old Giuseppe Rossi above him for yesterday’s win over Charlton.
There is a counter-claim to the perceived theory that Van Nistelrooy walked out of United’s team hotel yesterday lunchtime though, with suggestions being raised that the Dutchman – who only last month became one of only eight Manchester United players to score 150 goals for the club – was ordered out by Ferguson.
That presumably came following Van Nistelrooy’s negative reaction to learning Rossi had been given a starting spot against Charlton.
It has not gone unnoticed by the striker that Ferguson, having effectively decided Keane’s position at United was untenable following his MUTV tirade, has now launched such a public broadside himself.
Whether Van Nistelrooy will opt to break his own silence before Holland face Cameroon in the first of their pre-World Cup friendlies on May 27 remains to be seen but clearly his relationship with Ferguson has deteriorated markedly from the night he stood in the bowels of the Stade de France in November and reflected on an unexpected defeat to Lille just four days after the Middlesbrough debacle.
At the time, with Keane and Gary Neville missing, Van Nistelrooy was United captain. And, though disappointed at the Red Devils downturn in fortunes was apparently determined to pull them through the bad times.
“When I came four and a half years ago, United were unbeatable,” he reflected on that dark Paris night.
“Now, in bad times I just want to give it my all to get United back to where everyone wants to see them.
“I am going nowhere. Over the coming years, it is personal to me to take the club back to where I want to see it.”
At the time, the captain’s armband seemed to bring an extra 20% to Van Nistelrooy’s game. Ferguson’s totally logical decision to hand Neville the honour of permanently replacing Keane as skipper seemed to have the opposite effect.
Ferguson is said to have been intensely unhappy with Van Nistelrooy’s performance in the FA Cup defeat to Liverpool on February 21. A week later, he sensationally dropped the striker for the Carling Cup Final win over Wigan.
Louis Saha totally justified his inclusion at the Millennium Stadium and nothing that has happened since would lead any neutral observer to believe United are not a better side with the Frenchman in it.
And, as he reflects on his next career move, that is the bitter truth which will hurt Van Nistelrooy most of all.
New Ruud Van Nistelrooy exit link emerging
Nistelroy | 27 April, 2006 13:11
Reports in Spain are suggesting that Villareal and Valencia are set to make bids for Manchester United's Ruud Van Nistelrooy despite the club stating that it has no intention of releasing the Dutchman.
According to the Daily Mail, Ruud has told close friends that should he be forced out of United at the end of the season he has no desire to play for any other Premiership club which would open the way for a move to one of the two Spanish clubs.
That news will disappoint Tottenham Hotspur manager, Martin Jol who had been linked with a rumoured £8 million bid to take the player to White Hart Lane.
Van Nistelrooy's pride at crucial landmark goal
Nistelroy | 04 April, 2006 14:26
Ruud van Nistelrooy was beaming with pride after firing his 150th goal for the club during United's 2-1 spread wagering win over Bolton.
The Dutch striker, who came on as a second half substitute at The Reebok, slotted home the Reds' vital winner 11 minutes from time and in turn become only the eighth player in United's history to reach the landmark.
"It's a great feeling on top of everything else that happened on Saturday," Ruud told MUTV, after United cut Chelsea's lead to seven."To have scored 150 goals in almost five years at the club is more than I ever could have dreamt of.
"I'm grateful to the club and the players and I'm pleased that my hard work has paid off.
"I'm also pleased that the last two goals that got me to 150 were two winning goals [against West Ham and Bolton] and I feel very proud."
Much has been made of van Nistelrooy's omission from Sir Alex Ferguson's first eleven after starting just one of the last seven games.
That solitary start came against West Ham at Old Trafford last Wednesday and despite scoring the winning goal, the 29-year-old frontman once again found himself on the bench against the Trotters.
Van Nistelrooy remains philosophical about the situation, insisting that at this stage of the campaign, it's important for every member of the squad to play their part.
"Yes that's true," he declared. "Whether I am on the pitch for one minute or 90 minutes, I always try to get goals whenever I play and give it my all.
"I played a little part on Saturday which I enjoyed and next week is another opportunity.
"I had a few good touches when I came on and I felt good. I had a chance before I scored but I took it a bit too easily and lifted the ball over the cross-bar.
"The build-up to my goal was a great move and I was delighted to finish it off.
"Bolton is not an easy place to come," added van Nistelrooy. "To win here is massive particularly given the Chelsea result as well.
"The momentum is with us at the moment and we want to keep it that way. We're looking foward to the game with Arsenal next Sunday and we want to be ready for that."
Van Nistelrooy impresses Rossi
Nistelroy | 22 March, 2006 13:56
Van Nistelrooy has taken Rossi under his wing since the youngster’s arrival at United from Parma almost two years ago.
So keen is the Dutchman to help Rossi develop that he had to be forcibly stopped from joining in the on-pitch celebrations by a match official when his young team-mate netted his first senior goal at sunderland in October.
The 19-year-old admits Van Nistelrooy’s help has been invaluable in his development. But even from afar, Rossi admits he could not help learning from the former PSV Eindhoven maestro.
Rossi explained: “I work with Ruud sometimes after training and he is world class.
“When you watch him, it is incredible. You can learn everything from him.
“He is a great finisher, is great at turning, has great pace and awareness of where the goal is. I just sit back and admire him.”
Unfortunately for Rossi, if Van Nistelrooy cannot find a starting berth in the current United side, there is little chance of him doing so at present.
Although he was on the bench for Saturday’s win at West Brom, the last of Rossi’s 10 senior appearances this season came in the FA Cup third round replay win over Burton in January.
The American-born Italian scored twice that night, justifying Sir Alex Ferguson’s belief he is the best natural goalscorer to emerge through the Old Trafford ranks since Paul Scholes over a decade ago.
Ferguson’s obvious problem is how to ensure his career does not stall through lack of opportunity.
Rossi’s 26 reserve team goals this season indicate he has already grown too good for that level of competition and, while a loan move has already been ruled out this season, he would not be averse to leaving Old Trafford for a short period next term.
“I want to gain experience,” he admitted.
“One way of doing it might be to go out on loan, hopefully in the Premiership.
“Nothing is going to happen this year but I guess next season there might be talks about it.”
Given the praise Ferguson has consistently lavished on Rossi, any deal which sees him leave United will be with the specific intention of aiding his quest for a first-team spot at United.
Not that the striker, who has stated his desire to play internationally for Italy above his native United States, is getting carried away by the plaudits of his manager.
“I have heard what the manager said about me but I just let it go in one ear and out of the other,” he said.
“If you started to think about all these great words, you would just get lost and I need to stay focused on my football.
“My dream is to come through the ranks and play at United, like so many have done before me.
“It is going to be tough getting into the side when you have Ruud, Louis Saha and Wayne Rooney in front of you because they are three great strikers.
“But I will just continue to give it 100% and hope, in a few years, I get to where they are.”
Van Nistelrooy's future is shrouded in doubt
Nistelroy | 08 March, 2006 15:20
Throughout his 4½ years in Manchester, Van Nistelrooy has been one of the undisputed first choices in Ferguson’s team, but the return to fitness of Louis Saha, combined with the emergence of Wayne Rooney as a player of world class, has meant that Van Nistelrooy is no longer indispensable. And whether or not he accepts that fact will be crucial to determining if he stays beyond the end of the season.
Ruud van Nistelrooy has played down reports in the Italian press linking him with a move to Milan.
Nistelroy | 01 March, 2006 15:56
"So far, I haven't played a bad season personally," he told De Telegraaf.
"A form crisis or panic is absolute nonsense.
"I want to concentrate myself here on the Dutch national team. I want to go to the World Cup and I want to produce a good performance there.
"And I won't answer any questions about stories which aren't stories."
Ruud refutes Milan link
Nistelroy | 15 February, 2006 13:52
Ruud van Nistelrooy insists he is committed to Manchester United despite being linked with a move to Italian giants AC Milan.
There have been rumours circulating in Italy that should current Holland boss Marco van Basten be installed at Milan as coach following the World Cup then the United striker will move to the San Siro.
But the Dutchman is adamant that he is happy at Old Trafford and is not seeking a transfer.
Van Nistelrooy, 29, told the Corriere dello Sport: "I don't want to say anything about Milan because the fact is that United are in my heart.
"Staying several more years in Manchester, to enter definitively into the club's hearts, is my aim.
"I only think of Manchester now. I think to this team for the future."
However, van Nistelrooy has admitted his frustration that he has not won more honours since arriving at Old Trafford in 2001. The Dutchman has only two winners' medals - one Premiership and one FA Cup.
"When I joined United they had won seven out of the last nine Premiership titles, won the Champions League in 1999 and also the treble," he told the Manchester Evening News.
"The expectations for everyone then, and I suppose myself, was that United were going to win a similar number of titles, but football is not as simple as that.
"We are in a situation now where we are improving. We are building a team that can be the best again if we continue the progress we are making."
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recently...
- RUUD SET TO STRIKE FEAR
- PSV: Van Nistelrooy gets silver shield
- Van Basten Has Confidence In Ruud
- Man Utd warn Van Nistelrooy over compo claim
- Van Nistelrooy preparing for United exile
- New Ruud Van Nistelrooy exit link emerging
- Van Nistelrooy's pride at crucial landmark goal
- Van Nistelrooy impresses Rossi
- Van Nistelrooy's future is shrouded in doubt
- Ruud van Nistelrooy has played down reports in the Italian press linking him with a move to Milan.