Van Nistelrooy and Ferguson reunite years after falling out at Man Utd
Sir Alex Ferguson is still respected by the majority of his former stars that played under him at Manchester United, although there are a few players that didn't end on the best terms with the legendary manager.
The bond between Ferguson and Cristiano Ronaldo has been well documented, and the fall out with Roy Keane is also a very public story. But former striker Ruud van Nistelrooy also departed in controversial circumstances, with the Dutchman alleged to have called Ferguson a "Scottish pig" before moving to Real Madrid.
However, the pair have since settled their feud and were reunited on Tuesday night as Rangers faced PSV in the first leg of the final Champions League play-off round. Ferguson was there to support his beloved Rangers, with Van Nistelrooy now the manager of the Dutch side.
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An exhilarating match at Ibrox ended 2-2, with the tie nicely poised for one final face-off in Eindhoven to determine who gets a spot in the Champions League. But although it was a heated and competitive affair, it was also a reunion for Ferguson and Van NIstelrooy, who looked very happy to see one another.
The same couldn't be said back in 2006, when Van Nistelrooy kicked up a fuss at United, and ended up moving to Madrid to get away from Ferguson and Old Trafford. Ferguson was always protective over his young stars, with Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney given lots of attention from the Scottish boss.
But this angered Van Nistelrooy, who constantly complained about their inclusion, and was adamant United would not achieve European silverware with them in the side. The Dutchman began to really lose his cool when Ronaldo replaced David Beckham on the right-wing, who had struck up quite the partnership with Van Nistelrooy.
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Van Nistelrooy's final months at United were damaging, with the Dutchman constantly getting into arguments with Ferguson and his assistant Carlos Queiroz. But his career at United effectively came to an end in February 2006, as he was left out of the Carling Cup final victory over Wigan.
United won 4-0, and Ferguson used it as an opportunity to play young stars such as Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic, leaving Van Nistelrooy on the bench. The Dutchman was furious, and years after the incident he confirmed that he snapped at the Scotsman, and delivered a savage rant.
"I called him something. I called him a number of things in a blind rage," Van Nistelrooy said. "Cocky and stubborn as I was, I couldn’t snap out of that for some time after. That's how it all crashed.
"It was just really disrespectful, there were lots of other people there. It wasn't all that outrageous in terms of words but it was completely out of order. Not done. I wasn't proud of it, still am not."
Ferguson was aware Van Nistelrooy was not popular at the end of his United career, and after five stunning seasons in red, he found success with Los Blancos. Ironically, his departure allowed Ferguson to build the team around Rooney and Ronaldo, and success followed in the Champions League.
And years down the line, Ferguson revealed Van Nistelrooy had apologised to him, and their differences were put to one side. "My phone beeped with a text message, 'I don't know whether you remember me,’ it started, ‘but I need to call you' it read with the name signing off as Ruud van Nistelrooy," Ferguson said.
"I had no idea what it might be. But I texted him back: OK. So he rang. First, the small talk. Had some injuries, fit now, not getting a game, blah blah. Then he came out with it. ‘I want to apologise for my behaviour in my last year at United.
"Ruud offered no explanation. Perhaps I should have taken that chance to say, ‘Why did it go that way?’ Perhaps it was a guilt complex. It might have been playing on his mind for ages. Ruud was doubtless a more mature person by that stage."
The pair are now on good terms, and fans were delighted to see them smiling upon reuniting on Tuesday. The same can't be said for Keane just yet, but there is hope than maybe one day it could be the same.
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