The German tactician will be in charge of the Old Trafford dugout for the next six months. After what has been a treacherous past few weeks results-wise, Manchester United faithful seem to be smiling again.
Indeed, it does seem like the sun is shining on Old Trafford again following the appointment of Ralf Rangnick as interim manager.
The hunt was never an easy one as getting a permanent replacement after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure proved difficult. Neither was the interim option with many names such as Ernesto Valverde, Rudi Garcia, Lucien Favre, all linked to the job. Not the kind of manager that would thrill fans at first glance, Rangnick’s name is however different for some awesome reasons.
Rangnick is credited as the father of modern football in Germany with his gegenpressing philosophy, of which the likes of Jurgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel, Ralph Hasenhuttl, Marco Rose, and Julian Nagelsmann, have been mentored and imbibed this style of play. Indeed, having the mentor of Klopp and Tuchel right there in the Premier League makes for an exciting spectacle, but it is something the Liverpool boss does not seem thrilled about.
“Unfortunately a good coach is coming to England, that’s how it is, to Manchester United,” Klopp said.
“United will be organized on the pitch, we should realize that – that is obviously not good news for other teams.”
No one would want to come up against their brilliant master, would they?
Away from all this is a general sense that good times are now genuinely set to return at Old Trafford. The reason is not far-fetched in that United has not really had a definitive pattern of play or identity on the pitch since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, which is believed to have starved them of success. However, with Rangnick’s well-detailed approach to playing the game, having a similar identity to the current Chelsea and Liverpool team with the success, it has brought is an exciting feeling.
As much as the thrill is high about Rangnick’s presence, it is better for fans to lower their guard rather than have high hopes that can quickly turn into disappointment.
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Rangnick might be an experienced coach of more than three decades but it needs to be pointed out that none of the clubs he has previously managed come close to the stature and size of Manchester United. Certainly not FK Viktoria Backnang, TSV Lippoldsweiler, SC Korb, Reutlingen 05, Ulm 1846, VfB Stuttgart, Hannover 96, Schalke 04, Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig. The atmosphere is entirely different at Old Trafford and it might be a lot to handle for the German, especially with the media that will be all over his face when things do not go as planned.
There is also the issue of how players adapt to how Rangnick wants them to play. There are already reports that Cristiano Ronaldo might not fit in because of his inability to press. Other players such as Paul Pogba, Fred, Scott McTominay, who are often slow with the ball, are also in the spotlight of how they will fit in. Rumors have it that Rangnick sees no place for Luke Shaw who has been below par this season, while another attacking-minded right-back might displace Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Of course, there is the question of captain Harry Maguire and how he fits in after an error-filled season that is not worthy of reflecting on. How all these will be sorted, will be one hell of a mighty task for Rangnick.
Rangnick’s desire to be more of a consultant also raises the question about whether he can still coach effectively when he has spent more energy and resources in almost the past decade organizing clubs like Red Bull-owned Leipzig and Salzburg, as well as Lokomotiv Moscow.
The biggest ask for Rangnick is to win a trophy. Man United is still in the Champions League and FA Cup this season, meaning it is within reach. It has become a common theme to reference how Tuchel came to Chelsea in January and within five months landed Europe’s biggest prize. There is suddenly this expectation for Rangnick to do likewise but in all honesty, that might not be possible. Tuchel is just one example and it doesn’t mean it will apply to every other manager. Klopp and Pep Guardiola after all did not win a trophy in their first season, the former needing a fourth season to finally land silverware.
This is to indicate that patience is needed with Rangnick. Rather than push him to go beyond his abilities in what is a big challenge, he needs to be given the room and breathing space to operate even though it is for a limited time. If Solskjaer was given so much patience and time, Rangnick deserves very much the same.
The 63-year-old needs this because he has been charged with reshaping and redirecting Manchester United. Things have not worked well post-Alex Ferguson. Maybe this is the right moment and time for it to happen, but fans should not be in a haste for that success.
Liverpool and Manchester City’s success might be tiring to see over and over again due to the fierce rivalry that exists, but the Red Devils’ time to shine might just be around the corner.
