Ruud van Nistelrooy has told his Leicester City players that he plans bring back Enzo Maresca’s style of football in a bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
Leicester confirmed Van Nistelrooy as their new manager on Friday evening with the former Manchester United striker signing a contract which keeps him tied to the club until June 2027.
Van Nistelrooy was available having left Manchester United earlier this month after taking charge of four games on an interim basis in the wake of Erik ten Hag’s sacking.
The Dutchman will begin his stint as Leicester manager after their Premier League game away to Brentford on Saturday.
Leicester currently sit a point above the relegation zone following Steve Cooper’s departure, winning just two of their 12 Premier League games this season.
And Van Nistelrooy says he is keen to implement a similar playing style to what was seen under Maresca last term when the Foxes won the Championship.
‘I have to say, a lot of principles and structures that I see on and off the ball are structures that I used myself a lot as PSV manager and at [Manchester] United, not all, of course, but many of them,’ Van Nistelrooy said on Friday.
‘The way Leicester City played under Maresca, winning the Championship, going into the Premier League I also see that line continuing in those structures, an idea of play.
‘I can plug into that because I relate to those structures and way of play, play forward and create chances of course is the main goal and translate it into points. Sometimes it will be against an opponent who is better but we have to find a way to win any game. Sometimes you need to be more defensive and play on the counter attack and, of course, when you have it you play and others you will try to dominate and you have to make the game yourself.
‘We will approach every game with one idea and that’s to win.’
Van Nistelrooy also made it clear that he is keen to work with Jamie Vardy, who broke the Dutchman’s record by becoming record the first player to score in 11 consecutive Premier League matches in November 2015.
‘I think the depth of the squad is very good as well,’ Van Nistelrooy said.
‘There are two players in every position of good quality. There’s young, emerging talents, with very experienced players and, obviously, the captain, Jamie Vardy, has the most experience and the character. He’s the face of the football club. As a former striker, I can’t wait to work together with him as well.
‘Preparing those two games against Leicester, that’s where you get to study the opponent, and their qualities – and also where you can hurt them. Of course, that gave a broader picture of the squad and the team, and the behaviours of the players. After that, the interest was shown, and I started to look even further into the games and looking to improve. Where can we improve and where do we have to improve to stabilise, to start growing, to start collecting more points? That’s what I did, and I trust the squad that we can manage that.’
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