The news that Ruud van Nistelrooy is about to be named as the new Leicester City manager has received a lukewarm response.
Sky Sports helped break the news that the Dutchman had been offered the job and was set to accept it, and their pundits were quick to wade in with their views on the move.
Van Nistelrooy is expected to be in place for Leicester's trip to Brentford. Cooper, the man who led Forest back to the top-flight after a 23-year exile, was sacked after City's 2-1 home defeat by Chelsea after just 12 games in charge.
Paul Merson doubted that the Dutchman was qualified for the job, based on his time managing in Holland with PSV before coming in at Old Trafford as Erik ten Hag’s assistant.
He said: “He did well while he was at Manchester United (as interim manager) for three games, so that’s what they are going on. That's it. He wasn't great at PSV, so I think they're taking a chance. But fair play to him.
“He looks the part, but now he's got to perform with lesser players than he had at Old Trafford, and this is going to be difficult. Good luck to him, but when you look at the players that have just got the manager there the sack, will it make any difference?”
Gary Rowett, the former Derby, Birmingham City and Stoke manager, added: “I think they're taking a chance because he's not experienced at Premier League level, but I think he's got the stature. I’m not sure the career he had in the top flight necessarily means anything in terms of that position, but he might be the sort of character that maybe can inspire the players because they underperformed under Steve Cooper and they need a massive lift.
“I didn't think his record was too bad in Holland, but of course it's very difficult to gauge what that really means in comparison to the Premier League."
Jobi McAnuff believed the Leicester job was an opportunity van Nistelrooy could not turn down. He explained: “It’s a job in the Premier League and they're very, very hard to come by. From his perspective, coming off the back of a bit of time at PSV and then doing the interim job at Man United, I think it is really interesting that a couple of those games were against Leicester, particularly the last one.
“I think that does sometimes affect the mindset of a hierarchy or an owner to sort of think the answer is right in front of their eyes. He's out of work. He is available. Maybe from their perspective that was a factor as well, getting somebody who they don't have to go and pay any compensation for, someone who's ready to go and has been around the Premier League, obviously in a different capacity before he stepped up.
“From their perspective, it is going to be a bit of a risk. But I think whoever the manager is there, they are going to have to do a hell of a job to keep that team in the Premier League.”
Michael Dawson, the former Nottingham Forest defender, lamented the fact that Cooper had lost his job at the King Power Stadium, but said fate was on the Dutchman’s side.
He said: “For Ruud van Nistelrooy it's the right place at the right time for me. Timing is everything. Would he have got the job had he not gone to Manchester United in the summer, taking over for four games, two of them against Leicester? Not a bad job interview that, is it? You end up being manager of a Premier League team.
“Only time will tell if it’ll work. This squad of players, they are going to be in a relegation battle. Frankly, they were in a relegation battle before they kicked a ball. It was always going to be an uphill task, and I'm not too sure what owners sometimes expect when you go to the Premier League. Did they expect it to be plain sailing? It was going to be anything but, so I think it was harsh for Steve Cooper to be sacked.
Good luck to Ruud van Nistelrooy, he'll be up against it, but who knows?”
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