Ruud apologises to Ferguson

Ruud van Nistelrooy has sought to end his rift with Sir Alex Ferguson by making a personal apology to the Manchester United manager almost five years since their working relationship began to disintegrate and the bitterness eventually led to his departure.

Van Nistelrooy told Ferguson he regretted the way he had behaved – the Dutchman once had a fight with Cristiano Ronaldo on the club's training pitch and drove home when he was left out of the starting line-up against Charlton Athletic on the final day of the 2005-06 season – and admitted he had contributed to the reasons why Ferguson had decided he had to get rid of a striker who had scored 150 goals in his five seasons at Old Trafford.

Ferguson, in turn, told the Dutchman the matter was now finished and that he is happy to end a rift that ignited after he was omitted from the Carling Cup final line-up in February 2006, and had been smouldering ever since. "I was really pleased with that," Van Nistelrooy said. "I told him: 'Those five years at Manchester United were fantastic, and working with you, and it's really unfortunate what happened.' I'm really glad it's finished now."

Relations between the two men became so fractured at one point that when Van Nistelrooy moved to Real Madrid for £10.3m in 2006 he cited the tensions as the only reason he had left Old Trafford. Nonetheless, they were also key to each other's success during Van Nistelrooy's time in Manchester and, in an interview with the magazine Voetball International, the Dutchman explained why he had waited until now before contacting his former manager.

"I had been thinking about it for a while and talking it through with my wife," he said. "Two or three times every year I would think to myself what a shame it was that it had ended like it did with Ferguson. I wanted to do something about it.

"My wife suggested I sent Ferguson a text to see if he was willing to talk and when I sent him a message asking if I could ring him he replied to say, 'OK, call me at this date and time.' I rang him and he answered and said: 'OK, fine, go ahead.' I said I wanted to apologise for what had happened and he replied: 'Fine, I appreciate that, when we meet again it will be OK.' That was great to know."

Van Nistelrooy had established himself as the eighth-highest scorer in United's history when he left the club for Madrid. After three-and-a-half years in Spain he signed for Hamburg last January but is now in talks about returning to the Bernabéu.

Now 34, the striker is acutely aware he is coming to the end of his career and made it clear he retains an affinity for the club where he established himself as the most prolific striker in the Premier League. "If I encounter Ferguson again – and I really hope that will happen – I will embrace him and then it will all be finished."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...erguson-united

Like it. LIfe is too short.

Ferie was lucky as £#%&! his faith in Ronaldo paid off after sending Ruud packing.

Originally Posted by captain scarlet

Like it. LIfe is too short.

Agreed. Ruud showing he's a big man too.

Originally Posted by captain scarlet

Like it. LIfe is too short.

Tell that to the BBC...

they all regret it in the end

Originally Posted by Pop

Ferie was lucky as £#%&! his faith in Ronaldo paid off after sending Ruud packing.

don't really think it was luck tbh

Does anyone get the feeling that Fergie is considered as pretty much the Godfather of the football world?

"Ok, fine, go ahead"
"Im so sorry mr ferguson sir, I dont know what was going through my head, im deeply sorry"
"Ok. Whats done is done. You're safe now. But let this be a lesson."

love the Ruud tbh goal machine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0rmQYf8mrI

That goal against Basle.

Originally Posted by Gorilla Monsoon

Does anyone get the feeling that Fergie is considered as pretty much the Godfather of the football world?

"Ok, fine, go ahead"
"Im so sorry mr ferguson sir, I dont know what was going through my head, im deeply sorry"
"Ok. Whats done is done. You're safe now. But let this be a lesson."

Needs to start smoking cigars like Lippi imo.

Originally Posted by Pop

Ferie was lucky as £#%&! his faith in Ronaldo paid off after sending Ruud packing.

Yeh, luck. That's what it was. Like a going black or red on a roulette table, Ferguson just got...I dunno, lucky!

Originally Posted by Pop

Ferie was lucky as £#%&! his faith in Ronaldo paid off after sending Ruud packing.

ridiculous that even utd fans put good decisions ferguson makes down to 'luck'.

Originally Posted by Coracao

Needs to start smoking cigars like Lippi imo.

Needs to start taking full advantage of his role as the Don. Send Micky Phelan running out before him, wiping his seat down before he sits on it.

And 'making a call' about Houllier, as a favour to his mate Brucey.

Originally Posted by Gorilla Monsoon

Does anyone get the feeling that Fergie is considered as pretty much the Godfather of the football world?

"Ok, fine, go ahead"
"Im so sorry mr ferguson sir, I dont know what was going through my head, im deeply sorry"
"Ok. Whats done is done. You're safe now. But let this be a lesson."

I was suprised Ferguson didn't get nicked by the FBI in those NY raids tbh.

Originally Posted by Adz

I was suprised Ferguson didn't get nicked by the FBI in those NY raids tbh.

He's been in the game for 20+ years, he knows how to hide from the FBI.

What are the best and the worst aspects of coaching in European competitions?

The best, without question, is being on the big stage with all the great coaches in Europe, such as Marcello Lippi, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Carlo Ancelotti – strangely I never came up against Fabio Capello. I remember being in Turin and Signor Lippi was on the bench – wearing a leather coat and smoking a small cigar, smooth and calm, while I was a worker in a tracksuit being drowned in the pouring rain. To match yourself against the top coaches and to compete in all the great stadiums is marvellous.

Lippi

Originally Posted by Coracao

Ruud van Nistelrooy has sought to end his rift with Sir Alex Ferguson by making a personal apology to the Manchester United manager almost five years since their working relationship began to disintegrate and the bitterness eventually led to his departure.

Van Nistelrooy told Ferguson he regretted the way he had behaved – the Dutchman once had a fight with Cristiano Ronaldo on the club's training pitch and drove home when he was left out of the starting line-up against Charlton Athletic on the final day of the 2005-06 season – and admitted he had contributed to the reasons why Ferguson had decided he had to get rid of a striker who had scored 150 goals in his five seasons at Old Trafford.

Ferguson, in turn, told the Dutchman the matter was now finished and that he is happy to end a rift that ignited after he was omitted from the Carling Cup final line-up in February 2006, and had been smouldering ever since. "I was really pleased with that," Van Nistelrooy said. "I told him: 'Those five years at Manchester United were fantastic, and working with you, and it's really unfortunate what happened.' I'm really glad it's finished now."

Relations between the two men became so fractured at one point that when Van Nistelrooy moved to Real Madrid for £10.3m in 2006 he cited the tensions as the only reason he had left Old Trafford. Nonetheless, they were also key to each other's success during Van Nistelrooy's time in Manchester and, in an interview with the magazine Voetball International, the Dutchman explained why he had waited until now before contacting his former manager.

"I had been thinking about it for a while and talking it through with my wife," he said. "Two or three times every year I would think to myself what a shame it was that it had ended like it did with Ferguson. I wanted to do something about it.

"My wife suggested I sent Ferguson a text to see if he was willing to talk and when I sent him a message asking if I could ring him he replied to say, 'OK, call me at this date and time.' I rang him and he answered and said: 'OK, fine, go ahead.' I said I wanted to apologise for what had happened and he replied: 'Fine, I appreciate that, when we meet again it will be OK.' That was great to know."

Van Nistelrooy had established himself as the eighth-highest scorer in United's history when he left the club for Madrid. After three-and-a-half years in Spain he signed for Hamburg last January but is now in talks about returning to the Bernabéu.

Now 34, the striker is acutely aware he is coming to the end of his career and made it clear he retains an affinity for the club where he established himself as the most prolific striker in the Premier League. "If I encounter Ferguson again – and I really hope that will happen – I will embrace him and then it will all be finished."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...erguson-united

#@&%!. i hope he never steps foot in manchester or ot.

still havent forgiven him, the wounds are still fresh.

my hatred for ruud runs deep.

Originally Posted by marlo

#@&%!. i hope he never steps foot in manchester or ot.

still havent forgiven him, the wounds are still fresh.

my hatred for ruud runs deep.

Just let it go Marlo, if the Don has forgiven him, we all can.

I SAID LET IT GO, FOR CHRISTS SAKE, HE'S NOT £#%&!ING WORTH IT

Originally Posted by Gorilla Monsoon

Just let it go Marlo, if the Don has forgiven him, we all can.

I SAID LET IT GO, FOR CHRISTS SAKE, HE'S NOT £#%&!ING WORTH IT

i remember when word spread around the forum that fergie had sent ruud home from a league game against charlton at ot. i think it was the game kieran richardson played brilliantly in and scored.

people on ri were livid. some calling fergie a c*** and that we should £#%&! off ronaldo instead.

Originally Posted by marlo

i remember when word spread around the forum that fergie had sent ruud home from a league game against charlton at ot. i think it was the game kieran richardson played brilliantly in and scored.

people on ri were livid. some calling fergie a c*** and that we should £#%&! off ronaldo instead.

like you weren't in love with him like the rest of us melon head