Van Nistelrooy claimed Ferguson dropped him for the final game of the season after Manchester United missed out on the Premier League title – and it was a feat
Ruud van Nistelrooy says Sir Alex Ferguson got him purposely prevented from winning the Golden Shoe – because Manchester United missed the Premier League title.
Van Nistelrooy joined United from PSV in the summer of 2001 – and scored 23 league goals in his first season at Old Trafford.
That brought him together with Chelsea star Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Newcastle icon Alan Shearer and Arsenal – Legend Thierry Henry in the mix for the top scorer award.
In the end, it was Henry who scored 24 goals to win the first of his four Golden Boot Awards – Hasselbaink, Shearer and Van Nistelrooy all finished one goal behind.
And Van Nistelrooy has claimed Ferguson did dropping him for the last league game of the season so he couldn’t win the award – because United missed Arsene Wenger’s Gunners in the title race.
« The gaffer left me out in the last game of the season, » Van Nistelrooy said of Rio Ferdinand’s Vibe with Five.
« He said: » You are not a challenge for the golden shoe, we did not win the league son, you are out. «
» He left me in the stands, not even on the bench. I didn’t even have a hope!
« I was up there thinking this was a game I could get a couple of. Another goal! »
But Van Nistelrooy claims it was a feat arguably the greatest manager in modern football history.
If Ferguson intended to fire his star striker, it certainly had the desired effect, as Van Nistelrooy won the Golden Boot Award with 25 goals the following year when United recaptured the title.
« No trophies this year, so this message: » Your goals, well, they help us, but you have to combine them with titles « . That was the message.
» When I was in the stands I knew I had already started the new season.
« When the manager said something, it was clear. He just explained it to me. »
« I was sitting there and watched the game to see if Thierry scored. He wanted to get me going for next season. I wanted to keep up with Thierry. «
Van Nistelrooy said he was encouraged to watch Henry after he did studied his game before joining United.
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« I’ve admired him from day one, » he said. « I’ve seen him play, I’ve studied his game.
» I knew how good he was when I was. I want to compete with him. I have to get to my levels there. «
» Thierry was doing things in the Premiership when I was at PSV. That was tough stuff! I want to compete with him to push myself. «
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Ref: https://www.mirror.co.uk
