Speaking to the club website ahead of Tuesday night’s clash with the Foxes, the Spanish head coach had a lot of praise for the former Manchester United interim manager as the pair prepare for what should be an exciting battle between two top managers.
“First of all, I think Ruud (van Nistelrooy) is a very good manager - he’s shown that at the teams he’s worked at, and in the Premier League with Manchester United. I wish him all the best, but after our match for sure!
“We have to be ready because I am sure it is going to be a very tough and demanding match. Sometimes there is an extra step and extra energy about a team when a new coach arrives.
“Leicester also have very good players, and King Power Stadium is always somewhere that demands a lot, so we are going to need to show the best version of ourselves to compete there and come away with a result.”
Van Nistelrooy will likely bring something fresh to Leicester that Lopetegui has not seen before as he readies his team for a fight he cannot predict. Tuesday night’s game is a chance for the Hammers to bounce back but also for the Dutchman to show he can be a top manager outside of Manchester United.
“It’s always a challenge (when you’re facing a new manager), and you have to match all the things such as the extra energy when a new manager comes in. I know the kind of environment and match we’re going to be going into, and we have to be ready for it.
“I am not in his (van Nistelrooy’s) mind, so I don’t know what he’s thinking about. It’s not in our control. It’s true that one of the difficulties you have when you play a team with a new manager is that you can’t look back at what his ideas might be, but that’s why you have to put the focus on being ready for any and every situation. I prefer to put the focus on the things we have to do, and to be ready to fight tomorrow.”
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