Ruud Update

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s sulking has not prevented him from joining the Orange in preparation for their friendly clash with Ecuador. This is good news for both teams.

As reported earlier, van Nistelrooy did not start or even play in Manchester United’s Carling Cup win over Wigan. Louis Saha instead got the call from Sir Alex Ferguson. Ruud was last seen slinking off of the pitch while his teammates continued their celebration.

From Ecuador’s perspective, a fit and focused van Nistelrooy will help immensely as La Tri try to prepare for the European-style football they will be facing at the World Cup. The more world-class players they face in the run-up, the better.