RUUD VAN NISTELROOY was one of the most lethal finishers this country has ever seen.
Now he is developing English goalscoring talent.
Noni Madueke followed in fellow Londoner Jadon Sancho’s footsteps and left England for the continent as a teenagerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Ruud van Nistelrooy is back at his former club PSV Eindhoven coaching the Under-19sCredit: Getty Images – Getty
The former Manchester United striker works as PSV Eindhoven’s Under-19s coach and has been teaching teenager Noni Madueke his secret to scoring goals.
Inspired by Jadon Sancho at Dortmund, London-born Madueke ditched Tottenham for Holland in 2018 and it is paying off.
The 18-year-old was renowned for eye-catching goals at Spurs but learning from Van Nistelrooy has honed his finishing. The gamble seems to have paid off.
Madueke told SunSport: “Ruud helped me a lot last year, taking my game to the next level and now I am just trying to get better every day.
“I have always scored nice goals but I know I needed to score easier ones — being in the right place at the right time — striker-type finishes.
“Ruud has been teaching me how to get into those positions more and, being a Manchester United fan, I know he is the master of that.”
It is already making a difference as whizkid Madueke has four league goals and three assists from only three starts in ten Eredivisie appearances.
He also spearheaded a Europa League comeback with a goal and an assist in PSV’s 3-2 win against PAOK last week and is in line to feature at Granada tonight.
Born in Barnet, north London, Madueke got picked up by Spurs age 12 and within three years was U16s captain and featuring for the U18s.
But with Sancho beginning to flourish at Dortmund, Madueke saw another route into first team football which appealed to him.
He turned down an extension at Spurs plus United offer and packed his bags, aged just 16.
He added: “Jadon left to go to Dortmund and started making waves, literally within a year after joining as a 17-year-old.
“It was an inspiration, I started to think — there are other routes I can take.
“Not just the ready-made common route going from U18s, then to the U23s, then maybe a loan, then getting into the first team at Premier League clubs.
“I thought to myself, ‘I do not have to take that route’ and obviously it has played out well for me.
“Tottenham produce players but there are a lot of players who are very talented who get lost in that pathway.
“PSV and Ajax are known to give youngsters a chance and are top European clubs. It just made sense for me.”
As well as working with Van Nistelrooy, PSV summer signing and 2014 World Cup-winning goalscorer Mario Gotze has also been having an impact on him.
Madueke added: “Mario is a top player and top players rub off on other good players. He has been great with me since signing.
“Him being around, training with us and playing with us is definitely going to improve me.”
Madueke has starred regularly for England’s youth teams, notably netting four in only six games for the U18s But he is also eligible for Nigeria through his parents.
Nigeria have proved successful in prizing talent away from the Three Lions in the past with Joe Aribo and Alex Iwobi opting to play for the African nation.
And Madueke is open to swapping, he said: “I am only 18 so I have got to be open to everything. If I had a closed mindset I would not be where I am now so for sure I am open to both.
“We just have to see in the future what is best.”
Van Nistelrooy was a clinical finisher and is passing on his bags of wisdom to the next generationCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Madueke is also learning off World Cup-winning goalscorer Mario Gotze at PSVCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Borussia Dortmund legend Mario Gotze joins PSV on free transfer as World Cup winner signs two-year contract
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
