Ralf Rangnick has long been credited as the man who transformed German football. He did so by employing many different formations but always sticking to a thrilling, edge-of-the-seat brand of football. After the sacking of Ole, various media outlets have reported that Rangnick is the interim manager of Manchester United. As Liverpool boss exclaimed when asked about Rangnick “it is bad news for all other PL teams”. In this article, we will take a look at the qualities Ralf Rangnick will bring to Manchester United.
Geggenpressing
Pressing higher up the pitch is not United’s forte and whenever they have tried to do so the results have been disastrous. The reason being a lack of coaching as none of United’s support staff or Ole understood the science behind it. A high press demands all the 11 players and not only the forwards to read and respond to each other’s movement. Thus, it requires extensive training and a tactical mastermind to overlook and correct the process.
Ralf Rangnick will bring to Manchester United a sense of assurance while pressing. It is because the players know the man asking them to press practically invented Gegen pressing which is now used across the globe by coaches. Rangnick’s Hoffenheim team was the first to show glimpses of the modern-day high press and hence he knows every little detail about it. The majority of United’s squad is young and hence they can be taught how to press efficiently.
Football experience
Rangnick began coaching in 1985 when he took charge of VFB Stuttgart’s reserve team. He slowly rose to prominence in German football as more people started taking note of his unique style. But he has never managed a big team as only a few top clubs can meet his very specific demands. This is one of the problems facing the United hierarchy who has been relentlessly mocked for its lack of expertise in player acquisition and management.
Rangnick suffered from burnout syndrome due to his football obsession in 2011. His health deteriorated and hence he undertook a different role of sporting director at Red Bull. Under his watch, Leipzig rapidly progressed from the German fourth tier to Bundesliga and now plays in the Champions League. He also managed Leipzig in 2015/16 and 2018/19 as he felt there were no better candidates. According to reports, Rangnick will play the role of a consultant at Manchester United once his interim tenure is over. This is crucial as it allows him to change Manchester United’s football department from top to bottom if given full power to do so.
Relationship with players
Rangnick is a passionate character and often lets his emotions speak for itself. Although the media has portrayed him as a no-nonsense man, he is known to have a good rapport with the players off the pitch. Many of the players he has coached in the past has described him as a fatherly figure. This is an important quality as someone such as Cristiano Ronaldo will not like someone who commands him and would rather prefer healthy conversations.
Discipline and commitment
The first and foremost quality Ralf Rangnick will bring to Manchester United is a strict lifestyle. This will not bother Ronaldo who is famous for his obsession towards healthy food. But others will certainly benefit from a diet regimen that is calculated to the core. Rangnick is also known to hate players who won’t run for the team and hence everybody will be expected to track back and defend.
In conclusion, interesting times await as United has a mad genius who will do everything in his power to change United for the good.
