Ruud van Nistelrooy was often seen in the technical area on the shoulder of Erik ten Hag. Now the United hero will be front and centre.
Old Trafford power brokers took the decision to axe Ten Hag on Monday morning, following the 2-1 defeat to West Ham United. Van Nistelrooy is now in interim charge, starting with the Carabao Cup clash against Leicester City on Wednesday night, while the club seek a successor.
Van Nistelrooy will naturally come up in conversations over who might be the next United manager, even if he is perhaps reticent to put his name in the frame.
And while his managerial resume doesn't leap off the page and would lead some to make comparisons with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, delving a little deeper reveals the Dutchman has the depth to deliver.