Ruud van Nistelrooy told to avoid taking Premier League job by Sky Sports pundit

Former Leicester City forward Alan Smith has expressed doubts over Ruud van Nistelrooy being the right fit for the Foxes as they look set to appoint the Dutchman in the wake of Steve Cooper's departure.

Cooper was shown the door on Sunday and speculation has been rife over who will be their next manager. Van Nistelrooy is now tipped to take the reins at the King Power Stadium, but Smith isn't convinced he's the ideal candidate for the club.

While names like Graham Potter, David Moyes, and West Brom's Carlos Corberan were previously in the frame, Van Nistelrooy's temporary spell at Manchester United, where he secured two victories against Leicester in his four games in charge, seems to have impressed the Leicester top brass.

Speaking to Mega Dice, Smith argued that despite Van Nistelrooy's stellar reputation as a top-tier striker and his managerial achievements with PSV, this doesn't necessarily mean he is the man for the role. The 62-year-old suspects that the Premier League champion might be too focused on future opportunities at "bigger" clubs to fully commit to the Leicester job.

"I don't see Ruud van Nistelrooy and Leicester as a good match," Smith said. "I feel as though his mind would be elsewhere on the bigger jobs available if he were to do well. He used to be a big-time player, and you carry that attitude through as a coach.

"I don't think it'll be too long until he gets a Premier League job. He got good experience at PSV Eindhoven winning a few domestic cups, he has been an assistant with the Netherlands national team, and he impressed whilst he was interim manager of Manchester United, I just wouldn't say he was the right man for Leicester at this stage."

Regular Sky Sports pundit and co-commentator Smith, who netted 76 goals for Leicester before his transfer to Arsenal in 1987, believes that a candidate like former West Ham manager Moyes or ex-Brighton and Chelsea boss Potter would be more apt to pull Leicester out of their current predicament, reports Leicestershire Live.

Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images) Michael Regan/Getty Images)

"They're currently 16th in the league and I think someone like David Moyes could keep them ticking over at that level and keep them in the league, but I think Graham Potter could be the one to take them forward," Smith added.

"That said, you need someone who guarantees you safety in the league, it's hard to sustain a long-term vision if you are in the Championship. I'm sure Potter is eager to return to the game, whether he fancies the relegation scrap with Leicester is another factor, he didn't have that at Chelsea or Brighton."

Another contender that was reportedly under consideration was former England manager Gareth Southgate. However, he recently expressed his desire for a prolonged hiatus from football after resigning from the national team in the summer, effectively eliminating any possibility of him taking the Leicester position.

Cooper was dismissed following City's loss to Chelsea last weekend. The Blues triumphed over the Foxes with a 2-1 scoreline at the weekend, resulting in Cooper's departure from the club after a mere five-month tenure.

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