Who told Rangnick No

Would you say the names Rangnick put forward were second-rate?

Also at that time we were CL football contenders, remember? No disputing it is shite now, btw.
Were they bought by clubs who decided they needed to make a signing 2 days before the window or were they lined up well in advance? I'm not denying you can buy good players in January but to get anyone good the work has to start a lot earlier than that, club's aren't selling players they want that late unless they have replacements lined up. Jesus, as I type this we've conceded 2 more against Brighton, I'm not sure Mbappe would have saved this team!
 
Well that depends. Is the money that the club will lose out on from missing out on the Champions League more or less than would have been spent on reinforcements? Equally, what price do you put on the club being a more desirable destination for players in the summer if it's in that competition?

it’s a phase where we will unfortunately be rebuilding AGAIN! Obviously the money we’d miss out on for not qualifying for the CL is a big sum, but when the CL spot wouldn’t be guaranteed anyway with a january signing, the whole system is shite. In terms of who would want to sign, I think we should start signing smartly; stay away from 100 million signings. It’s a fair point, but not something that would want me to sign in january
 
Were they bought by clubs who decided they needed to make a signing 2 days before the window or were they lined up well in advance? I'm not denying you can buy good players in January but to get anyone good the work has to start a lot earlier than that, club's aren't selling players they want that late unless they have replacements lined up. Jesus, as I type this we've conceded 2 more against Brighton, I'm not sure Mbappe would have saved this team!

:lol: I feel it too, mate. Should be ashamed of themeselves. One more game.

I don’t consider, the time factor an issue. So many eleventh hour successes, as you said.

All academic and thoroughly depressing now.
 
Anyone who actually believes this from Ralf is delusional.

This is clearly a quote made to distract from his terrible tenure and you're all eating it up.

All of those players were agreed/announced before the Greenwood situation came to light. Secondly if you think we had a chance to sign Diaz ahead of this current Liverpool, again you're deluded.
 
Because we should be planning to have a consistent style of play which requires specific player types so we can plan more than 6 months ahead?

Just a thought...
Just a thought...don't buy any players for an interim manager who the new coach might not like! It's not rocket science. He had enough resources in Rashford, Ronaldo, Cavani plus youth up front for 5 months.

And if we're going down that path of consistent style of play, please tell me the consistency in Moyes, Van Gaal, Mourinho and Ole as besides being blokes with balls and a penis I see no consistency in them nor their style of play

ETH's style will be very different from what we're used to, pretty sure of that
 
Ronaldo is 37 and should not be playing 90mins in every game. He did well to get 25 goals, but he did have games where he under performed. Another attacked could've helped that or even covered for Rashford when he was in poor form.

Anyway, I don't see the logic in "we need a defender more than attacker so we shouldn't buy an attacker". We need both!

The logic is if any area needed shoring up it should have been in midfield. Teams playing through our lines was not a forward problem. Anyway I don’t disagree that we could have used the help up front.
 
Except that he didnt direct this at the board, he stated they agreed with him and spoke with the board, they said there was no player available that could help us. RR hasn’t deflected anything, he has been candid and his honesty has been welcomed by me for one. And I genuinely believe that ETH and RR have spoken off the record, one of ETH demands what that he has some say in transfers as “he is the one that will be held accountable of things go wrong” very much echoing what RR is saying, he was brought in and given zero tools to accomplish anything. Many players that were running down their contracts and didn’t really care, and an incompetent board that couldn’t manage a piss up in a pub even if they were given the keys and free bar. All the time expected to get something from a team like a patchwork quilt from four different managers, most of whom do not have the quality to represent man United.

No doubt his honestly has been welcome, everyone I think likes the fact that he has exposed many of these self-cantered players and the fact that they need to go. But I think we also need to be fair that, for reasons both of his doing and some out of his control, he has had very little efficacy as a manager of this team. He surely must take some responsibility.
 
The manager cannot force the board to complete transfers, in or out. The board decided, not without some basis in reason, to leave transfer activity alone until the new manager arrives. There was never any realistic expectation that Ralf would be named the permanent manager.

Ralf has made some mistakes, but he really was bequeathed a steaming pile of shit and the board decided to do nothing about the squad until a new manager was brought in.
 
Apologies if there's already a thread on the subject, but who told Rangnick there wernt any players available in January that could help us?

He listed Vlahovic, Diaz and alvarez as players that could help us yet was told no.

The person who told him no also needs to walk, pure incompetence, would love to hear any insight into this situation

One person brought in as a CDM would do nothing to stop the absolute collapse this season. The club also wanted to avoid buying players that the incoming manager might not want, so here we are.

Since we can revision this decision with the luxury of answers in hand, its safe to say that bringing in a new player at the January deadline for a manager who for whatever reason was unable to rally the squad, was the right one. It would be akin to throwing a piece of plywood and some tape over the hole in the Titanic and hope it`ll do anything
 
Just a thought...don't buy any players for an interim manager who the new coach might not like! It's not rocket science. He had enough resources in Rashford, Ronaldo, Cavani plus youth up front for 5 months.

And if we're going down that path of consistent style of play, please tell me the consistency in Moyes, Van Gaal, Mourinho and Ole as besides being blokes with balls and a penis I see no consistency in them nor their style of play

ETH's style will be very different from what we're used to, pretty sure of that
Well I don’t necessarily disagree but if RR is not trusted to identify good players as part of consulting (and as part of trying to not to finish 6th this season) what is he actually going to be doing..?
 
Well I don’t necessarily disagree but if RR is not trusted to identify good players as part of consulting (and as part of trying to not to finish 6th this season) what is he actually going to be doing..?
I know what you’re saying and I agree that if those players were free why did our scouts say they weren’t (part of the overhaul in that department). But I’d rather he focus on managing the squad and getting better results as that is his current role and let him focus on the recruitment once the season is over
 
What I'm wondering is Rangnick said the scouting department informed the club that they knew of no one available in the last 48 hours of the window who would be worth getting.

But did he have any suggestions himself? If so who?

in the meantime scuppering our chances for this season.

Yeah not getting an emergency loan striker in is what ruined our season.
 
Yeah not getting an emergency loan striker in is what ruined our season.
Getting a decent midfielder in January would have improved us massively for the rest of the season.

Zakaria and Kamara were available on the cheap and recommended by Ragnick. It was reported then, and Romano just confirmed it yesterday in the video I posted above.
 
Getting a decent midfielder in January would have improved us massively for the rest of the season.

Zakaria and Kamara were available on the cheap and recommended by Rangnick. It was reported then, and Romano just confirmed it yesterday in the video I posted above.

Maybe but this story is about the forward Rangnick says he wanted in January with 48 hours left in the window. He's complaining that he was refused and that the scouting department didn't know of anyone good enough who was available in the last 2 days of the window.

Did Ralf know of a player who was available though?
 
The Argentinian player who joined City comes to mind.

So try to sign a player who just signed for City?

Because that deal was announced at the end of January but it was almost certainly all agreed in the days maybe even weeks before that.

Let's remember Ralf didn't ask for a forward until the 29th or 30th of January.
 
So try to sign a player who just signed for City?

Because that deal was announced at the end of January but it was almost certainly all agreed in the days maybe even weeks before that.

Let's remember Ralf didn't ask for a forward until the 29th or 30th of January.
No we were in for him earlier in the window before he signed to City but decided not to go for him and he went to City at the end of the January window. Read back the reports in early January. Romano also just talked about it. The club vetoed him because he was not established in Europe.
 
No we were in for him earlier in the window before he signed to City but decided not to go for him and he went to City at the end of the January window. Read back the reports in early January. Romano also just talked about it. The club vetoed him because he was not established in Europe.

I'm aware of all of that mate. My point is that Alvarez was almost certainly not available by the time Rangnick asked for a striker in very late January. Plus he was loaned back to River Plate so maybe that was always stipulation of any deal with any prospective buyers.

Ralf's moaning (in May) that he didn't get a striker and that the coaching department didn't know of any available in the last 48 hours of the window that were good enough. Ok I could be wrong but it doesn't seem like Ralf put forward any names of players who were available of the required quality either.
 
Anyone who actually believes this from Ralf is delusional.

This is clearly a quote made to distract from his terrible tenure and you're all eating it up.

All of those players were agreed/announced before the Greenwood situation came to light. Secondly if you think we had a chance to sign Diaz ahead of this current Liverpool, again you're deluded.
What on earth are you talking about?!

You really think Ralf gives a feck the way he been airing things in public that he’d just say that to save his own ass?

He literally criticised HIMSELF in public, so why would he do that to save face.

CAF members would make good fan fiction writers I’m sure of it!
 
Ralf's moaning (in May) that he didn't get a striker and that the coaching department didn't know of any available in the last 48 hours of the window that were good enough. Ok I could be wrong but it doesn't seem like Ralf put forward any names of players who were available of the required quality either.
The names he gave to the board were Luiz Diaz, Dusan Vlahovic and Julien Alvarez - all of whom signed elsewhere at the very end of the window. I don’t know if he gave any more names and there’s no information on whether they were still gettable but these were the three that were reported by the media.

Reason why he asked for a striker a few days before the January window closed was because the Greenwood situation unexpectedly happened in late January.

Also, this thread is not only about the striker situation but of all the January signings the club said ‘no’ to. It’s being widely reported that the club blocked two other midfield signings he had suggested (Zakaria and Kamara as mentioned before).

My point is that Alvarez was almost certainly not available by the time Rangnick asked for a striker in very late January.
We don’t know that and it’s only a matter of opinion, because we were linked with Alvarez earlier in January and we can’t prove or disprove whether that deal was doable or not.
 
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It's quite trendy to bash the Board and go for the 'woe is us' angle but realistically, surely we can all see the sense in not letting a temporary manager sign a big-money CF with just a few days remaining in the January transfer window?

I think we could all have got on-board, at the time, with thinking, "well, if we're getting ETH in the Summer, let's see what he decides we ought to do", rather than potentially lumbering him with a player he doesn't like
 
The names he gave to the board were Luiz Diaz, Dusan Vlahovic and Julien Alvarez - all of whom signed elsewhere at the very end of the window. I don’t know if he gave any more names and there’s no information on whether they were still gettable but these were the three that were reported by the media.

Reason why he asked for a striker a few days before the January window closed was because the Greenwood situation unexpectedly happened in late January.

Also, this thread is not only about the striker situation but of all the January signings the club said ‘no’ to. It’s being widely reported that the club blocked two other midfield signings he had suggested (Zakaria and Kamara as mentioned before).

I could be wrong but given the first post I believe the situation the OP is referring to is specifically the end of window request by Ralf after Greenwood was suspended.

As to the whole January window, do you think the club did the right thing not buying players for an Interim manager?

What would have happened if the new manager didn't want these players just 6 months later but you've spent 30-40% of his summer budget on winter signings for an Interim manager? Sell them right away and hope you recoup 100% of the outlay?
 
As to the whole January window, do you think the club did the right thing not buying players for an Interim manager?
No they didn’t do the right thing because it sent the wrong message to the team: that they decided to throw the season away and not to reinforce the team when it was in desperate need for a midfielder and striker.

Because of that we are facing the prospect of being in the Europa Conference League next year.


What would have happened if the new manager didn't want these players just 6 months later but you've spent 30-40% of his summer budget on winter signings for an Interim manager? Sell them right away and hope you recoup 100% of the outlay?
Nobody said they had to spend 30-40% of the summer’s transfer budget. Zakaria cost Juve 4.5m€ only, and Kamara would have been very cheap as he is a free agent this summer.

Also, a well-run club would have asked their scouting department to identify players who are available for a low price, or on loan, to come and reinforce the team until the end of the season. It’s the scouting department’s job to do this.

I can go along with the fact that the strikers Ragnick suggested might have been too expensive, but his suggested midfielders cost peanuts. And a well-structured club could have found cheap or temporary loan solutions to support the team.
 
Apologies if there's already a thread on the subject, but who told Rangnick there wernt any players available in January that could help us?

He listed Vlahovic, Diaz and alvarez as players that could help us yet was told no.

The person who told him no also needs to walk, pure incompetence, would love to hear any insight into this situation
This time Im inclined to agree with whoever said no. It made no sense to make permanent signings before a new manager came in. Plus I seriously doubt we'd have got any one good on loan. To top it all given how we have been performing, who ever would have come in would have had a night marish time.

Luis Diaz for example would have been rubbished by now if he was with us instead
 
I could be wrong but given the first post I believe the situation the OP is referring to is specifically the end of window request by Ralf after Greenwood was suspended.

As to the whole January window, do you think the club did the right thing not buying players for an Interim manager?

What would have happened if the new manager didn't want these players just 6 months later but you've spent 30-40% of his summer budget on winter signings for an Interim manager? Sell them right away and hope you recoup 100% of the outlay?

This is fine but if you’re happy with no new arrivals in January then you can’t really complain about the end to the season in my opinion.
 
Plus I seriously doubt we'd have got any one good on loan.
That is just an opinion. There’s a scouting department whose job is to identify such players. We got Igalho on loan a few years ago when many hadn’t heard of him. He was a decent addition to the squad. The club must have a list of such players in case of an injury crisis for example.

To top it all given how we have been performing, who ever would have come in would have had a night marish time.

Luis Diaz for example would have been rubbished by now if he was with us instead
You cannot state that for a fact. In many cases, a new addition can do wonders to team morale and can offer something fresh in the midst of a difficult season. Look at how Bruno turned our season around in 2020.
 
Diaz is a pointless mention - we would never have signed him over Liverpool.

Vlahovic would have chosen Juventus most likely, also
 
No they didn’t do the right thing because it sent the wrong message to the team: that they decided to throw the season away and not to reinforce the team when it was in desperate need for a midfielder and striker.

Because of that we are facing the prospect of being in the Europa Conference League next year.

So did the club send the right message last summer when it spent £130m+ on Sancho, Ronaldo and Varane? How did that work out?

The squad as it is currently was more than capable of coming 4th and avoiding the EL without January reinforcements.

Nobody said they had to spend 30-40% of the summer’s transfer budget. Zakaria cost Juve 4.5m€ only, and Kamara would have been very cheap as he is a free agent this summer.

Also, a well-run club would have asked their scouting department to identify players who are available for a low price, or on loan, to come and reinforce the team until the end of the season. It’s the scouting department’s job to do this.

I can go along with the fact that the strikers Rangnick suggested might have been too expensive, but his suggested midfielders cost peanuts. And a well-structured club could have found cheap or temporary loan solutions to support the team.

Perhaps if those suggested midfielders wanted to actually come to United. Did they?

Because Zakaria preferred to go to Juventus from everything that's been reported.
 
This is fine but if you’re happy with no new arrivals in January then you can’t really complain about the end to the season in my opinion.

Of course we can, the performances served up since the end of January have been atrocious from players and manager. Regardless of whether or not there were January signings this squad was more than capable of coming 4th. The club were 100% right not to buy players the next manager might not rate.

Isn't the whole narrative around Rangnick's arrival being a positive because this season doesn't matter, it's all about the long term big picture (that short termists can't see) as we keep hearing in the Ralf thread?

Well if that were true then why was Rangnick badgering the club for short term signings in January that he had no clue the permanent manager who succeeds him would even rate?
 
Of course we can, the performances served up since the end of January have been atrocious from players and manager. Regardless of whether or not there were January signings this squad was more than capable of coming 4th. The club were 100% right not to buy players the next manager might not rate.

Isn't the whole narrative around Rangnick's arrival being a positive because this season doesn't matter, it's all about the long term big picture (that short termists can't see) as we keep hearing in the Ralf thread?

Well if that were true then why was Rangnick badgering the club for short term signings in January that he had no clue the permanent manager who succeeds him would even rate?

We went into the busy new year period with Ronaldo and an out of form Rashford as our only strikers. It was no surprise it was all this point our season, and goals, dried up. I’m confident if Greenwood incident doesn’t happen we are likely sat in 4th. The club should have acted if they wanted to get CL. Just as Spurs did.
 
We went into the busy new year period with Ronaldo and an out of form Rashford as our only strikers. It was no surprise it was all this point our season, and goals, dried up. I’m confident if Greenwood incident doesn’t happen we are likely sat in 4th. The club should have acted if they wanted to get CL. Just as Spurs did.

In January?

Going into January we had Ronaldo, Cavani, Rashford, Martial and Greenwood who Ralf had mostly played on the right. Ralf let Martial go on loan and we lost Greenwood but that only happened 48 hours before the window closed and after Martial left. If Ralf thought we were so short in the forward line surely he wouldn't have let Martial leave in late January.

Also did the goals 'dry up' though?

In 28 games under Ralf we've only scored more than 2 goals in a game 6 times. And only scored more than 1 eight times. It seems like the goals were dry from day one under Rangnick.
 
So did the club send the right message last summer when it spent £130m+ on Sancho, Ronaldo and Varane?
Yes it did.

How did that work out?
Not very well because of many problems behind the scenes. Squad disharmony because of bad squad management, plus a midfield area that was totally neglected.

The squad as it is currently was more than capable of coming 4th and avoiding the EL without January reinforcements.
No it wasn’t because it relied on a 37 year old striker playing three games a week with no decent back-up (that should have been bought in January after the departure of Martial and Greenwood’s suspension).

And a midfield relying on an ageing Matic who could only play 60 minutes a week, and a McFred combo that even teams from the bottom of the table could overrun. Another area that could have been strengthened with low-price or temporary options.

Perhaps if those suggested midfielders wanted to actually come to United. Did they?
Coming to United was not an option for them because the board did not want to buy them or show concrete interest in them (see example below).

Because Zakaria preferred to go to Juventus from everything that's been reported.
Not true. From everything that’s been reported the board were never really interested in signing Zakaria and did not bid for him. We only monitored him.

Here’s the exact quote from Romano:

“In January they (United) were offered the chance, and they discussed the chance, to sign Boubacar Kamara from Marseille or Denis Zakaria from Borussia Monchengladbach. But the board said ‘no, no transfers in January’.”


And this is the exact quote from Zakaria:

“Because Juventus are the club that showed the most desire to sign me. There is something to do with the feeling too.

“You can feel the way people talk to you, the interest people have in you. Other clubs that approached me were more reserved. With Juve, there was an immediate real interest in me, with concrete things from the outset. It’s pleasant, rewarding, and that made the difference.”

In other words Juventus were the only ones who were really interested.
 
In January?

Going into January we had Ronaldo, Cavani, Rashford, Martial and Greenwood who Ralf had mostly played on the right. Ralf let Martial go on loan and we lost Greenwood but that only happened 48 hours before the window closed and after Martial left. If Ralf thought we were so short in the forward line surely he wouldn't have let Martial leave in late January.

Also did the goals 'dry up' though?

In 28 games under Ralf we've only scored more than 2 goals in a game 6 times. And only scored more than 1 eight times. It seems like the goals were dry from day one under Rangnick.

In January. Ultimately it’s quite clear at what point the season went majorly wrong and it was in this month.

If the club wanted top 4 they should have strengthened as Spurs did or sought similar loan type deals to mitigate the risk to a new manager. It didn’t and the rest is history.

Its no coincidence the whole recruitment department is currently being gutted.
 
Yes it did.


Not very well because of many problems behind the scenes. Squad disharmony because of bad squad management, plus a midfield area that was totally neglected.


No it wasn’t because it relied on a 37 year old striker playing three games a week with no decent back-up (that should have been bought in January after the departure of Martial and Greenwood’s suspension).

And a midfield relying on an ageing Matic who could only play 60 minutes a week, and a McFred combo that even teams from the bottom of the table could overrun. Another area that could have been strengthened with low-price or temporary options.


Coming to United was not an option for them because the board did not want to buy them or show concrete interest in them (see example below).


Not true. From everything that’s been reported the board were never really interested in signing Zakaria and did not bid for him. We only monitored him.

Here’s the exact quote from Romano:

“In January they (United) were offered the chance, and they discussed the chance, to sign Boubacar Kamara from Marseille or Denis Zakaria from Borussia Monchengladbach. But the board said ‘no, no transfers in January’.”


And this is the exact quote from Zakaria:

“Because Juventus are the club that showed the most desire to sign me. There is something to do with the feeling too.

“You can feel the way people talk to you, the interest people have in you. Other clubs that approached me were more reserved. With Juve, there was an immediate real interest in me, with concrete things from the outset. It’s pleasant, rewarding, and that made the difference.”

I’m with you here mate.
 
Ralf let Martial go on loan and we lost Greenwood but that only happened 48 hours before the window closed and after Martial left. If Ralf thought we were so short in the forward line surely he wouldn't have let Martial leave in late January.
He did not let Martial go. He asked him to stay but Martial had already made up his mind.

Here is the exact quote from Martial:
“I asked United to leave because I wanted to play,” he said. “I still have a contract but they know what I want, so we will see at the end of the season.

“When he (Rangnick) arrived, my objective was to leave. I told him I wanted to leave and that’s it.

“He talked to me and said, ‘if you want to stay, with the way you train you will play if you keep training like that’. But I wanted to have a new atmosphere and a new club.”