One of the greatest poachers. Not a legend but still a very very good striker. However, I do think the team plays more entertaining football without him.
Ruud van Nistelrooy
- Thread starter MalibuKen
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Although that could also be down to the fact that instead of the likes of Kleberson, O'Shea, Djemba Djemba and Bellion et al we have Carrick, Tevez, Nani and Anderson instead, don't you think? People seem to forget that for periods, especially in the 03/04 season we only really had one player playing at a world class standard, and that was Ruud. For a long time he was our most consistent player and was unfortunate enough to be with us when we had arguably our worst team for the past 10 years.
we played some amazing football at the back end of 02/03. And it was largely down to Ruud and Scholes.
Legend.
Shame he played in one of the worst United teams in recent history.
Shame he played in one of the worst United teams in recent history.
The closest a player has come in recent seasons to winning a trophy single handedly for a club was Ruud in 06/07 for Real in the league. I hate that club but Ruud has done a great job for them, just like he did for the vast majority of his time at United.
Great player. But a long way off being a legend (a term used FAR too often).
I wholeheartedly agree - we had some shit players, they affected the performances of many of our best players, but not him, he put everything in the net.
It is sad because i actually dont like him now - i used to begrudge Arsenal having Henry as he was made things look beautiful, but still loved Van Nistelrooy, after some of his recent comments i just cannot like him, no chance.
Not a legend.
You cnuts watching him tonight?
His movement for that chance Buffon saved just before the break was genius.
He's still the best in the business at what he does
His movement for that chance Buffon saved just before the break was genius.
He's still the best in the business at what he does
Of course he's the best. He's only going to improve within the next couple of years since he never relied on pace. His instincts are second to none, and now he has tons of experience under his belt.
I'd take him back in any Ronaldo deal
I'd take him back in any Ronaldo deal
Ruud is a legend. He is the best goal scorer in the world right now and has been so for years.
He does look a class act. Pity how it all turned out.
We haven't done badly since his departure, neither has he, so we winners all around. I was amazed at his low transfer fee at the time mind.
Up until tonight, I hadn't realised how much I miss Ruud. 
Some of my best and earliest memories of United, involve him.
Some of my best and earliest memories of United, involve him.
Im so jealous of your avatar sultan
same, id take him back too as part of any ronnie dealUp until tonight, I hadn't realised how much I miss Ruud.
Some of my best and earliest memories of United, involve him.
Tonight he is showing that he has not lost any of his ability, he's a nightmare for any defence. I really miss him, can't fault his movement, skill, or commitment.
You'd think Tevez hadn't been bloody brilliant and we hadn't won the double this season the way some of you lot go on about Ruud. He called Real the best club in the world, said it was his dream to play for them and said you don't think twice when they come in for you, so I don't think he'll ever be coming back folks, get over it.
We got raped by selling him for £12m.
He made it so obvious towards the end of his United career he wanted to move. He'd lost all his desire, and commitment to play for United. You could actually feel the anguish in the stands.
Great player, could have ended his career on a better note.
Great player, could have ended his career on a better note.
Hardly, two premiership titles and a champions league.
It was half down to him curbing Ronnie who in turn has more than excelled in his absence. Henry for £16 million was ridiculous, as it happens he has done nothing so it doesnt seem like bad business.
Spot on, people are creaming themselves over a player now we that twice asked for transfers whilst at United.And all of this was before he fell out with Fergie
Aye but the fee was a bit silly considering what Shevchenko went for at the same time.
But the crucial difference was we wanted to sell Van Nistelrooy, Milan didn't want to sell Shevchenko. That was always going to cause a big disparity in the figures.
My two pence on this is that Van Nistelrooy was a great player who played at a bad time for us. Was obvious to see at the end that he wanted to go and Ferguson had had enough. I was quite happy to see him go. Although I have no basis to prove my theory but I definitely doubt that Ronaldo would have scored as many goals as he has done if Van Nistelrooy was still around.
Exactly.
As could've Keane, Beckham, Yorke, Kanchelskis, etc.
This is true but i still think we could've got considerably more for him. 12m for a striker of that quality is outrageous.
He looked very good tonight. He remains a class striker.
They didn't deliberately play rubbish when picked to engineer a transfer.
The others you mentioned never left a bitter taste, unlike Van.
Maybe it's just me
Typical finish today
Keane? He belittled players on an on-air interview, fought with his manager, and was sacked soon thereafter.
Yorke sat on his ass his final season after constantly partying and frustrating his manager, even refused a transfer to Boro during January (can't blame him I suppose).
Beckham became bigger than the club and it was obvious he considered himself a celebrity before a footballer. Mind you he still did his best when he played.
Ruud played like shit in the last couple of matches for the club and yet was the club's top scorer that season. Because he sulked not taking part in the league cup final (as most world class players would be upset not taking part in a cup final) people label him. He's a great servant to the club and chose to leave. But he didn't cross that line and belittle teammates publicly or have constant battles with his manager. He also played versus sit on his ass and collect a large wage ala Yorke.
Great player still think he's one of the best
he should've scored a hattrick
true that, he was monumental in helping Real win their first trophy in years, fecking madrid
I'm with Sultan and Spoonov on this one
No Tevez hasnt been bloody brilliant. He's been good but not yet done anything to be mentioned in the same breath as Ruud.
Getting only £12m for him was a ripoff. He was worth atleast 15-20.
Watch some of our goals from this season and last. Rooney has set up some beauties and scored a bunch too. He contributed greatly to our double this year despite playing out of position and suffering injuries. Rooney is as good as ever.
I want my Rooney back
He'll never get this type of games and emotions at Real Madrid.
My everlasting memory of the man
That's not what actually happened though. The stuff he said after joining Real was typical Real propaganda. Beckham was forced to come out with the same shite after he joined them, and he loves United as much as anyone.
As for saying others didn't leave a bitter taste. They did. Beckham was at least as off par during his final season, and had a falling out with the manager, then lied about wanting to stay. Keane slagged off his own players and was basically told to feck off, Jap Stam, etc. Others have left a bitter taste aswell. It happens, but after a while you get over it.
While I'm mentioning Beckham, he's another who's contribution to the club is now incredibly under appreciated. His commitment was Rooney-esque until his final season.
There were 2 years left on his contract, Arsenal got £16 million for Henry who had more time left on his contract and he was marginally younger on leaving Arsenal than Ruud was on leaving United. We could have got more, but not that much. What we got for him is pretty much what we paid for Vidic and Evra, two players a fair bit younger than Ruud.