Ralf Rangnick | ex-interim manager | does anyone rate him?

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Hopefully he won’t, he should rather stop selecting him in a match day squad. Maybe the board will then understand, that it’s better to dispose of demotivated players

Lingard will be motivated --- for his next potential employer and to get into the WC squad.
 
Not buying a DM makes this job a poisoned chalice for Rangnick. For the rest of this season, we will have no game-changers on the bench when we are chasing a game and no replacements should one of our injury-prone forwards get injured or need a rest (when playing them will increase the chance for injury). The most likely outcome, especially given our horrible March fixtures, is that we will end the season without a trophy and outside the top 4, a failed season.

So, we will associate Rangnick with this failure in the summer making it impossible for him to get the permanent job. However, there will be a huge amount of salary space suddenly available for a new manager in the summer and, because of the failure, we will irrationally choose someone like Pochettino (who hasn't succeeded at the top level anywhere yet, including PSG) where the best person might well be Rangnick.
 
Lingard will be motivated --- for his next potential employer and to get into the WC squad.
Do you think an in-form Lingard is good enough for our ambitions? I somehow don’t - a useful off the bench option at best (and as such it’s better to put his minutes into a hungry youngster instead)
 
I would be a little surprised if they ask about Greenwood at all. They know what the response will be and its a massive dick move to bring that up.
 
Let's focus on the players who are at the club. I think they will rally together and unite. Ralf will probably have spoken to the players as a group about the events of the weekend, and remind the players what's expected them on and off the pitch to not bring the club into disrepute and avoid letting themselves, the players families and club down.

that's what the journalists should focus on the rest of the season team goals. Not bringing up certain scumbag names who don't deserve to wear the shirt and badge of this great proud family club ever again whatever happens.. I think the journalists will be warned before the press conference anyway by the clubs Press Officer Karen at what questions to avoid asking.

the journalists might ask something like "Hi Ralf you ok? Due to the events of this week has it galvanised the players to pull together and unite to end the season strongly?' Or something generic like that. With a generic answer by Rangnick.
 
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Depends on the player.
Lingard, Jones, et Al you’d want an option or obligation to buy.

Players like Martial/VDB we wouldn’t want buy clause because they might still have futures at United, ok maybe not Martial as he’s had countless opportunities but definitely VDB or as you say their value might increase.

Of course Amad we don’t want to sell and is on loan for development, a bit sad that we haven’t given him more chances.

As a big club we should stop banking on "could still have", we should be more ruthless. Players like DVB, Martial, etc if they can't cut it beyond 1 year they should be binned and sold. Yes, they might come good, but we don't have the luxury to bet on it.

I don't care if 2 years from Now martial turns out to be a Zlatan etc, tough luck, the ship has sailed.
 
As a big club we should stop banking on "could still have", we should be more ruthless. Players like DVB, Martial, etc if they can't cut it beyond 1 year they should be binned and sold. Yes, they might come good, but we don't have the luxury to bet on it.

I don't care if 2 years from Now martial turns out to be a Zlatan etc, tough luck, the ship has sailed.

Thats daft. That was one of Fergie's qualities -- sticking by a player.

We would have lost Evra, Vidic, Cole just to name a few. No young player with high potential would ever sign for United at some point.
 
Thats daft. That was one of Fergie's qualities -- sticking by a player.

We would have lost Evra, Vidic, Cole just to name a few. No young player with high potential would ever sign for United at some point.
Really? Evra and Vidic started pretty shakily, but it took far less than a year for them to show their worth.

Cole hit the ground running but then went off for quite a while. I think he’d accumulated enough credit in his early days for people (i.e. Fergie) to stay patient.

I agree totally about needing to give young signings time, regardless of how much they’ve accomplished elsewhere (e.g. Sancho).

Edit: Plus we nearly “lost” Cole anyway by trying to swap him with Shearer.
 
Do we know if Rangnick actually wanted Lingard to stay or not? The only things I’ve been able to find online are from unnamed sources which I’m always sceptical of.
I imagine they’ll ask him during his press conference about Lingards situation, and Ralf hasn’t exactly been one to answer like a politician so we’ll know soon enough.
 
Do we know if Rangnick actually wanted Lingard to stay or not? The only things I’ve been able to find online are from unnamed sources which I’m always sceptical of.
I imagine they’ll ask him during his press conference about Lingards situation, and Ralf hasn’t exactly been one to answer like a politician so we’ll know soon enough.
Ok tiktok someone posted a video where they ask him if Lingard will stay or something, and he says that Lingard will be sold in the summer.
 
I'm going to say it won't be brought up, press officer will likely tell the press it won't be entertained in the slightest

Yeah and any press member that does ask regardless will probably be waiting a long time before they receive their press credentials at Old Trafford again.
 
The board vetoed his decision to allow Lingard to leave.
But it doesn’t make sense. Vetoing an incoming transfer at least might make sense, but if the manager doesn’t need the player and is happy to see him gone, blocking it is stupid
 
We don't know if the club vetoed Rangnick's decision. What probably happended is that the club have a value of the player and if it was matched Rangnick was happy to see Lingard go.. Newcastle only decided to increase the offer for Lingard at the 11th hour on deadline day.. that gave the club no chance to get a midfielder in. If Newcastle was serious they should have increased the offer a week ago.. blame Newcastle.

People need to realise with what happened at the weekend it does change things and would make any club wary about letting players (especially players who play in the same position) go.. I'm shocked we still let Donny go actually so we probably decided we couldn't afford to let Lingard go too. It is understandable really so I don't think you can blame the club this time. But obviously some will..
 
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Tough few weeks ahead for Rangnick. Every word he says and every action will be micro-analysed, and he has the mammoth task of keeping the focus on football and somehow ignore the massive elephant in the room. I'm sure it's been handled in-house to some extent, but the younger players in particular it could be a real distraction.

Given how he utilised #11 regularly, it'll be interesting to see how he adapts the team as he does seem to tinker the entire system based on single players.
 
Tough few weeks ahead for Rangnick. Every word he says and every action will be micro-analysed, and he has the mammoth task of keeping the focus on football and somehow ignore the massive elephant in the room. I'm sure it's been handled in-house to some extent, but the younger players in particular it could be a real distraction.

Given how he utilised #11 regularly, it'll be interesting to see how he adapts the team as he does seem to tinker the entire system based on single players.

That's why we need the experienced leaders in the locker room.. Ronaldo, Cavani, DDG, Bruno etc to step up and help the young players over a challenging few months. They need to explain to them that this still could still turn into a good season with 2 trophies still to play for. Lots to play for.
 
As a big club we should stop banking on "could still have", we should be more ruthless. Players like DVB, Martial, etc if they can't cut it beyond 1 year they should be binned and sold. Yes, they might come good, but we don't have the luxury to bet on it.

I don't care if 2 years from Now martial turns out to be a Zlatan etc, tough luck, the ship has sailed.
I think it depends on age or how long the player has been at the club. Also there are other things like a players attitude and training that only people inside the club will be able to judge.
 

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EVERY WORD FROM RANGNICK'S FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE
by
Lars Magnus Igland Røys
03 December 202114:30
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Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick held his first press conference since joining the club ahead of our Premier League clash with Crystal Palace this weekend.
The German spent over half an hour speaking to journalists for his first pre-match press conference as Reds boss as the media was gathered at Old Trafford to quiz the 63-year-old ahead of his first task as the man in charge at United, a contest with the Eagles at Old Trafford on Sunday.
In the media briefing, Rangnick spoke about his ambitions at the club, why the move to United was correct for him, his conversations with Michael Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, transfer speculation, what he knows about the history of the club and more, in what was a truly fascinating chat.
Here's everything said during Ralf's first press conference at United..

RANGNICK: THE FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE ADCARD
WATCH NOW

"I would firstly like to say hello to everybody. To be honest, in my career, it’s probably the earliest press conference in my life but due to the fact that we have another game on Sunday, and the fact I only have one training session with the team, there was no other option. I am very much looking forward to the next days, weeks and months. Once again, thanks again for coming here and spending the time with us.’’
Roughly this time last year, Chelsea contacted and spoke to you. What can you achieve here in six months and what is your vision for Manchester United?
"When Chelsea contacted me back in February, they only spoke about the option to become interim manager for four months, without any perspective to work in the long term together. Here now, we are talking about six-and-a-half months, so we only have one third of the games played in the Premier League. As you all know, we have also agreed upon a two-year advisory role as well, after those six-and-a-half months, in the end, when a club like Manchester United contact you, you can't possibly turn it down."
Do you look at last night, for instance, and think there are things I can change straight away? How are you going to approach this with the team doing well obviously in the last three games, but not so well performance-wise before that?
"Obviously, I have watched the last few games, not only last night’s game but also the games against both Watford and Chelsea, before I knew actually if there was going to be any contact in the next few days. I also watch, out of interest, the games against Liverpool and Manchester City. I'm pretty well aware and acquitted of what’s going on here within both the club and in the Premier League. I think it’s also obvious the team has an abundance of young talent, and enough experienced players in the squad, but the target for me is to bring more balance in the team. Yesterday, we conceded two goals, we then needed three goals to win the game. If you look at the total goals conceded, it's two per game, which is too much. I want to bring balance and control within the games and yesterday’s game was obviously exciting for the fans even but, for myself, as the future coach, we don't want those games every time because, in football, you have to minimise the coincidence factor and to have control on the game. That's my approach, I want to help the outstanding players stay away from their own goal."
How is this going to be turned around? Consistent performances? And I guess the aim is top four really?
"The aim in the first instance is to win the next game. The next game comes around quickly because it’s on Sunday, so that leaves me with maybe one training session today but I can only introduce myself to the players today at three o’clock, but, of course, that’s not everybody it’s only the ones who didn’t play last night. It is literally one training session, so there are not many things that you can work on in just one session. Speaking to the players and letting them know what the approach will be, it will not be easy in the middle of the season, I am fully aware and I have enough experience to know you cannot change everything in 1-2 days or even 1-2 weeks, other Germans have had the same experience who have come to the Premier League. It’s about winning games and I’m very ambitious like everybody in the club but, in the end, we want to make the most successful season as possible. Right now, we have to be realistic - the gap to the top three is big but, on the other hand, we'll see. It’s about developing the team and learning to better control the game."
Is this the toughest challenge you have taken on during your very long career?
"It’s obviously the biggest club I have worked at, if not the biggest club in the world. It’s a massive challenge and I'm more than excited to work with those kind of players we have here. It’s a big challenge but, like I have said, I have also worked with top star players, at Schalke it was a similar situation and I am more than happy to work with this group of players."

If you are successful in the next six months there will inevitably be a chance for you to continue as manager, is that a possibility to continue after six months or are you clear about wanting to stop after six months and move to the consultancy role?
"The people who I have spoken with, so far, have been very clear that we are talking about a six-month role as manager currently, we have never spoken about anything after that in the summer. I am, of course, fully aware they are looking for a new manager, maybe if they ask me, we will see. Maybe, if they ask me my opinion as you said and everything goes well and I help develop the team, I might make the same recommendation as I did at Leipzig twice and say to them for me to stay on and continue working with me! But this is all hypothetical, I cannot speak about that now. For me, it’s about winning the next game and that is the focus."
When you look back at the eight-and-a-half years since the club last won a Premier League title, what have you seen in that time between winning that last title and where the club and where the squad finds itself now?
"Having had Sir Alex for 27 years, winning numerous titles, I don't think there was any other club, barring Guy Roux at Auxerre that had the same manager for that amount of time. It's unique, it's exceptional. For me now, after such a long and successful spell that the club needs to find a new pathway. There have been changes in management, five or six managers since Sir Alex left and, therefore, it’s difficult for the club to gain continuity, signing new players, developing and sticking to the DNA of the club. I think that's vital within modern football. It's not unusual with so many changes but I do think its vitally important that the board members and myself that we develop that same identity in the future."
Is your squad good enough to compete?
"It's definitely good enough to compete in the top flight. If you look at the top three teams now, they are very stable and they all have great coaches. If you see how they keep winning and keep winning games in style too, controlling the games. This is something we have to develop. When Jurgen [Klopp] came to Liverpool, it definitely wasn't a better squad than what I have here now at United."
How hard will it be to implementing this pressing style so closely associated with yourself and will there be any further coaching changes following the departure of Michael Carrick last night?
"Yes, I think to gain control on games in the future, we have to play proactively. No matter if we have the ball ourselves or if the opposition does, we must play together, team spirit, we saw that yesterday. If we compare first and second half yesterday, it was completely different, having had the most unique fans behind us, it will help and help the team to gain confidence, we could see that in the second half. It's not easy, can't implement that in one or two training sessions or one or two weeks and it’s not about pressing or counter-pressing, it’s about control. That is the major target. Michael, I only got to know the news two days ago. I met with him and Kieran [McKenna] and I had a long private conversation with him for more than an hour, I wanted to keep him on but he had obviously come to that decision weeks ago. After 30 years, he needed a rest and I understand, I have to accept that. About the coaching, I'm more than happy to work with them, I need their expertise and experience regarding the current squad. I want to find one, two or three to join us but due to Brexit, it's not that easy. Many of my former employers are tied up in long-term contracts with big clubs so they are not available right now. We need to be smart and clever, hopefully in one or two weeks but I don't know."
We touched on that philosophy you have, with having Cristiano Ronaldo here too, will you have to adapt to that style?
"You always have to adapt your style to suit the players you have, not vice-versa. Seeing Ronaldo at 36 in the second half; amazing, top professional. I have never seen anyone as fit at 36. He is still a player who can still make the difference. How can we develop the whole team? It’s not just about him, so we need all of the players involved. What I saw from Cristiano yesterday, he is more than willing to do that, to put his own input into the team. His team-mates will have to do the same."
https://www.manutd.com/en/news/deta...rst-man-utd-press-conference-3-december-2021#

Ralf's plan for the future Video
RALF'S PLAN FOR THE FUTURE
You have a great record of signing players whilst with other clubs, as we approach January will you have any input on that? Also how will you relationship with John Murtough play out considering he is the current director of football and you are joining as a consultant?
"We haven't spoken about new players and it’s not the time to speak about that. Now it's time to get to know the current squad in detail. The squad is definitely not too small, there are certainly enough players within the squad. Maybe at Christmas, after Christmas, there might be time to talk about transfers, but from my experience, winter transfers are difficult and not sustainable. With the quality of the players we have here, it would in theory only make sense to sign players who give you that little bit of extra quality."

This is response Rangnick gave in his very first press conference, I don't feel he was eager for signings, and I don't think that is a bad thing giving he is only an interim.
 
I'm not too excited by the prospect of RR managing us permanently or even for just one more season. He behaves like a "headmaster" instead of a "guide". I get post-Liverpool Rafa Benitez vibes from him in the sense that I can see him rubbing senior players the wrong way, as the season progresses.

Really surprised by his decision to start the first 5-6 games with a narrow 4-4-2 instead of building off Carrick's formation and then gradually shifting to doing what he wants. Also he seems like too big a personality to just sit in the background. Next manager will need to have a big personality to match up to him too.
 
Surely the fact we haven't bought in the January window nails on the fact he is definitely moving upstairs in the summer
 
I would be a little surprised if they ask about Greenwood at all. They know what the response will be and its a massive dick move to bring that up.
Which is exactly why the reporters would jump on this. You know how they are.
 
We haven't spoken about new players and it’s not the time to speak about that. Now it's time to get to know the current squad in detail. The squad is definitely not too small, there are certainly enough players within the squad. Maybe at Christmas, after Christmas, there might be time to talk about transfers, but from my experience, winter transfers are difficult and not sustainable. With the quality of the players we have here, it would in theory only make sense to sign players who give you that little bit of extra quality."

This is response Rangnick gave in his very first press conference, I don't feel he was eager for signings, and I don't think that is a bad thing giving he is only an interim.

Didn’t he more recently talk about not having certain profiles of players though.
 
I think it depends on age or how long the player has been at the club. Also there are other things like a players attitude and training that only people inside the club will be able to judge.
Also management style. Like Martial and Donny might be perfect for the new manager for example. Lots of things to take into account but yeah we should definitely be more ruthless. Especially when it comes to player contracts and not resigning. If someone doesn’t accept a contract and they have two years left on their contract we should put them up for sale. We can’t afford to keep players and lose them on frees. But there are tons of things we could do more efficiently and better. Like the contracts we give for a start and the extensions. Woodward made some of the most stupid decisions in history - giving Moyes a 6 year contract, extending José then not backing him and having to pay him off, extending Ole when we were playing shite and had no competition for his signature, extending Jones for 4 years after he had barely had a game, extending Mata, not quite as bad but still unnecessary. You could even add making Ole permanent to the mix rather than waiting till the end of the season. In any normal job he would have been fired years ago, but our owners don’t seem to care about anything but rolling in the money.

Hopefully Murtough and Arnold are better. If Arnold leaves the football to the ones who know about it, and if Ralf actually does move upstairs, we should be in better shape.

Not selling Lingard to Newcastle suggests some sense at least, despite my desperation to get him out of the club.
 
Also management style. Like Martial and Donny might be perfect for the new manager for example. Lots of things to take into account but yeah we should definitely be more ruthless. Especially when it comes to player contracts and not resigning. If someone doesn’t accept a contract and they have two years left on their contract we should put them up for sale. We can’t afford to keep players and lose them on frees. But there are tons of things we could do more efficiently and better. Like the contracts we give for a start and the extensions. Woodward made some of the most stupid decisions in history - giving Moyes a 6 year contract, extending José then not backing him and having to pay him off, extending Ole when we were playing shite and had no competition for his signature, extending Jones for 4 years after he had barely had a game, extending Mata, not quite as bad but still unnecessary. You could even add making Ole permanent to the mix rather than waiting till the end of the season. In any normal job he would have been fired years ago, but our owners don’t seem to care about anything but rolling in the money.

Hopefully Murtough and Arnold are better. If Arnold leaves the football to the ones who know about it, and if Ralf actually does move upstairs, we should be in better shape.

Not selling Lingard to Newcastle suggests some sense at least, despite my desperation to get him out of the club.

Yeah. Our contracts smell of desperation. We have players like Lingard and Jones on £150k a week, the players on that much at other clubs are usually integral to their teams and can fetch a hefty sum if ever they are sold. I think at Liverpool Mane, Robertson, Ox are in the £100k to £150k range
 
its strange and really worrying that cristiano spotted before this guy the problem greenwood was for this team. greenwood with mourinho would last one week on the team.
 
I think we put ourselves in a tricky situation now. Lost a striker/winger, midfielder loaned out, some players out of contract in the summer. On top, we are a bit in a shitty form. One can hope that this will fire us up but my hope is not big
 
its strange and really worrying that cristiano spotted before this guy the problem greenwood was for this team. greenwood with mourinho would last one week on the team.
I am not even sure what you are referring to, but in any way Ronaldo had a head start of several months working with Greenwood, so it makes sense.
 
I'm not too excited by the prospect of RR managing us permanently or even for just one more season. He behaves like a "headmaster" instead of a "guide". I get post-Liverpool Rafa Benitez vibes from him in the sense that I can see him rubbing senior players the wrong way, as the season progresses.

Really surprised by his decision to start the first 5-6 games with a narrow 4-4-2 instead of building off Carrick's formation and then gradually shifting to doing what he wants. Also he seems like too big a personality to just sit in the background. Next manager will need to have a big personality to match up to him too.
We need a manager to whip the players into shape. Not a "guide. The 4222 was there to get our defensive solidarity back first and you can see the logic behind it. He's quite humble enough to admit it needed revising and reverted to a flat 433.
 
Yeah. Our contracts smell of desperation. We have players like Lingard and Jones on £150k a week, the players on that much at other clubs are usually integral to their teams and can fetch a hefty sum if ever they are sold. I think at Liverpool Mane, Robertson, Ox are in the £100k to £150k range
We have been bit generous in giving away big contracts to our players which they don't possibly deserve but anybody who thinks Liverpool pay their players peanuts is talking nonsense as well infact you just have to check their official ac statements to realise that . No way their top players are earning 100-150 k a week and still their wage bill was higher than United according to their last published report.
 
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