Rene Meulensteen became Manchester United's first-team coach on 3 September 2008, when the previous incumbent Mike Phelan was promoted to assistant manager in place of the departing Carlos Queiroz.

In his previous role as technical skills development officer, Rene was the man charged with giving United's players the armoury to out-manouevre any opponent in any given situation.

The affable Dutchman, who retired from a playing career in the Dutch lower leagues at the age of 29, is in his second spell at Old Trafford. Rene first arrived in Manchester in 2001 and quickly set about overhauling United's approach to coaching children in the club's Academy.

He

changed United’s coaching syllabus, concentrating on the technical area of the game, specifically the coaching of “tricks and moves”, which Rene believes defines the difference between a good player and great player. 

With first-hand experience of working with famed Dutch coach Wiel Coerver, Rene's methods quickly began to take effect, with the Reds' youngsters displaying marked improvement in their skills.

Meulensteen soon began taking personal sessions with players higher up the Carrington food chain, and a number of senior players such as Ryan Giggs and Ruud van Nistelrooy benefited from his expertise.

When reserves manager