Former United striker Van Nistelrooy has just been added to Ten Hag's backroom team after leaving his job as PSV head coach last year.
“For Ruud it's an opportunity to go back to Man United to work for a big club. I know Ruud really well and we actually discussed if I could go and work with him for PSV but he left the job,” Meulensteen revealed when speaking to Tribalfootball.com's Jacob Hansen.
“He had a strong sense of doing well as a number one, he was linked with the Burnley job as well so the move is a little bit of a strange one as in football you have to be very clear in what role you want. I felt Ruud had a very strong sense of being number one and staying as number one.”
Meulensteen thinks this decision came after crucial talks with Ten Hag.
“It all must have depended on the discussions he had with Erik, when I was working with Alex Ferguson, he basically delegated everything in terms of the training sessions, media because he trusted you.
“But you also have head coaches who do it all themselves so as an assistant you really play second fiddle, so to speak, so it’s definitely an interesting move.”
“Erik is very hands on in training as well so it all depends as other coaches are leaving, others coming in such as Rene Hake who is a friend of his from Utrecht.”
As Manchester United switch up their backroom staff Meulensteen believes the incoming talent will have an interesting impact.
“I think it is all a part of the review as the club had a lot of injuries and they were asking where did they come from? Maybe training too much, too long maybe, too intense so they looked at that and it has been a huge shake up.
“(Hake) never worked with high end players at PSV or Feyenoord. Working with high end players at United is a completely a different kettle of fish.
“As long as top players know what they need to do then they take ownership and if they take ownership, it is better for their performances as it becomes their game, their decisions.”
“If you tell them all what to do then it becomes rigid and in possession especially, they only try and do the right thing as you told them to do that but if you want creativity, you need that freedom."
- René Meulensteen was speaking to Tribalfootball on behalf of Free Bets.