Ruud reaction to cup snub was final straw: Fergie

ALEX FERGUSON has cited Ruud van Nistelrooy’s reaction to being dropped for last season’s Carling Cup final as the major reason behind his Manchester United exit.

Ferguson made the revelation as it emerged a bid for goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak was turned down.

Van Nistelrooy joined Real Madrid in a £10.3 million (€15.1 million) deal last week claiming his relationship with Ferguson had broken down.

Despite scoring 150 goals in an amazing five-year spell at Old Trafford, van Nistelrooy found himself overlooked for the latter stages of last term after losing out to Louis Saha in the battle to face Wigan in the showpiece final.

Ferguson claimed Saha deserved his place because he had played in most of the earlier rounds.

But it now transpires not only was van Nistelrooy upset by the move, the 30-year-old allowed his resentment to linger.

Ferguson said: “The big difference with modern-day football is that now we have squads of players.

“Every time you come to pick a team for a major game there are two or three players you are hesitant about telling they are out of the team either because they are great players, they have been great players in the past or you have a certain relationship with them.

“All you can do is hope they will agree with the reasoning behind your decision.

“Sometimes a player doesn’t agree. I am happy with that.

“But it’s what happens after that, how they adapt to it is different with every player. Ruud was different in that way. That is exactly what happened.”

Ferguson’s comments emphasise why he made a veiled observation the forward was becoming a disruptive influence.

Ironically, Ferguson delivered his verdict as he sat barely five yards from another Dutchman who left Old Trafford in acrimonious circumstances, Jaap Stam.

Now back in Holland with Ajax, whom United will face on Saturday in their second game of the prestigious four-team Amsterdam pre-season tournament, Stam was widely assumed to have been booted out by Ferguson because of comments the defender made about team-mates in an autobiography.

Both parties were at pains to stress no hard feelings remain from the fall-out in 2001 which led to Stam joining Lazio.

“Jaap was a great player for me,” said Ferguson. “He won the European Cup with me. But business is business. Sometimes, you get an offer you cannot refuse. That is the way it was.”

For his part, Stam insisted he bore no hard feelings towards his former manager.

“I had three great years at Lazio and another two with AC Milan. I have no hard feelings. You could say it worked out well for me. I have had a good few years since leaving United.”

Stam’s performances since quitting the Premiership proved Ferguson was wrong to believe the defender’s legs had gone. Ferguson is facing the same problem attempting to cover Roy Keane’s departure.

Michael Carrick, who is likely to make his debut against Porto tomorrow, has already arrived in a £16.8m (€24.7m) move from Tottenham.

And, while he would not confirm a deal for Villarreal’s Marcos Senna is near completion, the Scot did admit another new arrival is pencilled in for next week.

The news came as it emerged West Brom rejected a £2.5m (€3.6m) bid from Manchester United for goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak.

And the Baggies will not consider selling the Polish international to the Red Devils unless they make what they deem an acceptable offer.

Albion chairman Jeremy Peace said:

“We have had numerous talks with United and have told them any deal would have to include their highly-rated young striker, Giuseppe Rossi, joining us on loan for the season.