Former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy was criticized by former Leicester City forward Odsonne Edouard after playing at the King Power Stadium last season.
Ruud van Nistelrooy was brutally brought down by former Leicester City striker Odsonne Edouard. The Manchester United icon was a forward during an ill-fated spell with the Foxes.
Van Nistelrooy took over from Steve Cooper at the King Power Stadium last November but was in charge of 27 Premier League games, winning just five of them. Leicester ended up narrowly finishing with 10 points, becoming the first top-flight club to go nine games without scoring at home.
Naturally, this spell did not convince many of his merits as a manager. Edouard, who was on loan at Leicester from Crystal Palace last season, was unimpressed with the Dutchman.
The former Paris Saint-Germain and Celtic striker made six appearances under Cooper before being dumped completely by Van Nistelrooy. Edouard only appeared on the bench once under former PSV Eindhoven manager.
Edouard, who has regained his form with Lens this season, believes Van Nistelrooy was not a “great manager”. The Frenchman has scored three goals in six Ligue 1 appearances this season.
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“Being a great striker doesn’t necessarily mean being a great manager,” Edouard told L’Equipe. “After the training, I did some more hard sessions with my fitness coach. I didn’t give up.
“Lester, it affected me professionally, for no particular reason.
“At first I played a little bit (under Steve Cooper) but then things didn’t work out with Van Nistelrooy.
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“I didn’t get along very well with Van Nistelrooy. Before I knew it, I couldn’t play for seven months and was blocked.”
Van Nistelrooy left Leicester this summer and is still without a job. The Foxes have given the former Manchester United star a suspended sentence to avoid a negative impact on their profits and sustainability.
Upon his departure, manager Van Nistelrooy said: “I would like to personally thank the Leicester City players, coaches, academy and all the staff I have worked with during my time at the club for their professionalism and dedication. I would also like to thank the fans for their support and take this opportunity to wish the club every success in the future.”
The Dutch manager’s departure was confirmed just days before Leicester’s return to pre-season, although a decision had already been made on his departure following relegation.
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