Van Nistelrooy, who has been installed as interim head coach at Old Trafford following Erik ten Hag's dismissal as manager on Monday, earned his place in United's history books as a player as a prolific striker, scoring 150 goals in 219 appearances in a five-year period at the club before leaving in acrimonious circumstances for Real Madrid in 2006.
"In his last season, he [Van Nistelrooy] became a really difficult boy," Ferguson said in his autobiography.
"I don't think he was popular by the end. Ruud had started to mouth off all the time to [assistant manager] Carlos Queiroz about Ronaldo. There were a few stand-up confrontations."