Laurencio
Full Member
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2017
- Messages
- 3,963
It is going to take a bit of time before the players learn Ralf's style. I think Utd will play quite compact counter attacking football to start. I expect Ralf will try to change into a more balanced possesion game as the season progresses.
It's Ralf Rangnick, the ultimate ideologue in German football, he's not a very pragmatic football manager. He'd rather lose by a ton than compromise on his ideas. I'd be very surprised if we don't see changes quite immediately. He's had his teams playing one brand of football since the 80s, at all levels of German football. He doesn't sit back, he doesn't take a step back and he does not rest. He demands complete authority and uses that authority from day one. The football will be high pressing, high intensity attacking probably coached with a giant countdown clock at the training ground - you have 10 seconds to score, if you fail start over again out of possession. There will be a much needed professionalism to the training, but this will not be easy on players and it would be surprising to say the least if Rangnick plays anything other than high-octane football from day one.
We'll be hearing tons of stories of diet changes, saliva, blood and urine tests, high intensity training sessions, weirdly specific bans on various foods and behaviours. Heck he might even ban the players from driving fancy cars because that makes them too lazy and entitled when they haven't achieved anything yet this season. Some players will live it and love it, and some will probably fall apart completely. To be fair that is what should be required at an elite club. It is long overdue but it is risky to throw that in there mid season.
If rumours are true that Ole was too friendly with the playing staff, they are about to have a rude awakening. Rangnick is generally well liked by his players, but he's known as a strict and meticulous control freak in football. Which to be fair is not something new for ManUtd. We're throwing a live grenade into this squad and hoping it blows up the right way. If it works we reboot the training culture, level of professionalism, demands players are under and create an environment for elite sports analysis and performance.
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