Ruud van Nistelrooy declined to provide specific details about his decision to substitute Bilal El Khannouss, a move that drew a negative reaction from the King Power Stadium crowd during Leicester City’s 2-0 defeat to Fulham.
The Moroccan playmaker was taken off in the 64th minute, replaced by Kasey McAteer. The substitution was met with boos from the stands, followed by chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing!” directed at the Leicester manager.
Just four minutes later, Leicester conceded a second goal, effectively ending any chance of a comeback. This loss marked the club’s seventh consecutive Premier League defeat, their worst run in the top flight since 2001.
When asked about the controversial decision, van Nistelrooy opted not to elaborate on the reasoning behind El Khannouss’ substitution, explaining that such decisions are not for public disclosure.
Instead, he addressed the general reaction to his choices and his approach to making changes.
Van Nistelrooy explained:
“It’s okay, you have to accept it and I am. I’m making substitutions to impact the game. It can be in different areas, physical, profile of a player, the opposition. When it’s not received well for once, then I’ll take that one.
“Because the crowd boo one substitution of me, it doesn’t mean I have to explain all the reasons behind the substitution. It’s not for the public to know.
“It’s respect to the players who come on. They are valuable members of the squad and deserve minutes to help this team as well. It’s not about one person in this team and in this squad. That for me is very clear.”
The discontent from the stands extended beyond the substitution. After Fulham’s second goal, fans voiced their frustration with chants of “sack the board” and “we want Rudkin out,” referring to the club’s director of football.
Chairman Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha was also present in the stands to witness the toxic atmosphere.
Despite the backlash, van Nistelrooy insisted that neither he nor his players could use the criticism as an excuse.
“We have to deal with it. We cannot change it. We have to face it. Don’t feel sorry for anybody. We are professionals and we have to deal with it,” he said.
“We have to make sure that we perform so the crowd is up and supportive. That’s our task. There’s no other excuse or explanation necessary. It’s up to us and sometimes you deserve criticism and you have to accept it because it wasn’t good enough and do better next time.”
As Leicester continues to struggle, the pressure on van Nistelrooy and the club’s leadership only grows.
With seven straight losses and fan unrest escalating, the path forward will require significant improvement both on and off the pitch.
