Erik ten Hag hands Man Utd chance to Premier League cult hero on McClaren advice
Manchester United have invited Bryan Ruiz to Carrington in order to help the former Fulham star gain experience as a coach.
Ruiz, 38, retired from playing last year and has now embarked upon a coaching career in his native Costa Rica. He was in the Netherlands on Friday for FC Twente midfielder Wout Brama’s farewell match and there he bumped into United boss Erik ten Hag.
Ten Hag started his coaching career at Twente, taking charge of the club’s under-17s and under-19s before working under Steve McClaren with the first team. The Dutchman worked with McClaren for a year before moving to PSV Eindhoven to become assistant there in 2009.
That move meant Ten Hag did not cross paths with Ruiz, who played for Twente between 2009 and 2011, helping McClaren's to win the Eredivisie title. That connection has now proven fruitful for Ruiz, who could link up with his former boss at United.
"I keep myself fit," he told De Telegraaf of retirement. "I go to the gym, I play tennis and padel. The first six months after I stopped I took completely time off and only spent time with my family. Now I have started as a trainer of the Deportivo Alajuelense under-17s to find out whether I am good at being a trainer and also whether I enjoy it enough.
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“I have now received an invitation to come and see Steve McClaren and Erik ten Hag at Manchester United. Those are fun things to do."
Ruiz scored with a backheel playing for FC Twente's 2010 league winning side against Brama's All-Star side on Friday night. The match finished as a 2-2 draw, sending Brama out with a bang after 14 years of service for Twente.
Bryan Ruiz (centre) was playing in a farewell match for Wout Brama (right) (Getty Images)Deportivo Alajuelense are a team in Costa Rica and are the club who gave Ruiz his first break in football. The attacking midfielder moved from there to Gent and Twente before making his name in four years with Fulham.
Ruiz contributed 13 goals and 24 assists in 107 matches for Fulham between 2011 and 2015. He went on to play for PSV Eindhoven on loan, Sporting Lisbon and Santos in Brazil before finishing his career where it started at Alajuelense.
McClaren is a key figure for Ten Hag at United. The 62-year-old combines a close relationship with Ten Hag, from their time at Twente, with his experience at United, having worked as Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant between 1999 and 2001.
"That is also part of the reason that I really wanted him along with the other capabilities that he has,” Ten Hag said in July 2022 after confirming his arrival.
"The fact that he knows the club is a big advantage for us and, although it is a long time ago, he knows the culture of Manchester United. I think with both [McClaren and fellow coach Mitchell Van der Gaag], he was a coach from the moment he was born."
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