Rangnick is tactical genius, says Tuchel

THOMAS TUCHEL admits he was and still is expecting more from Manchester United this season. Perhaps it will come once his mentor Ralf Rangnick, a man he considers a tactical equal to the best coaches the Premier League has to offer, takes charge at Old Trafford. United are eighth, 12 points off leaders Chelsea after just 12 games, despite adding Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo to their squad in the summer. ‘Yeah, I was (expecting more) and maybe I still am,’ said Tuchel. ‘I will never write anybody off, not in this league and not in this game. It is a very experienced, top-level group of players.’ And one set to be led by Rangnick, a Godfather-like figure in German football and inspiration for many coaches who came after him, such as Tuchel. Tuchel played under Rangnick at Ulm. Rangnick then helped Tuchel on his way in management, handing him his first coaching role in the youth set-up at the same club. Tuchel insists Rangnick will slip into the top bracket of leading tactical coaches in the Premier League. ‘Yes, tactically for sure he is an elite manager,’ he said. ‘He helped me a lot because he was my coach. And he was one of the main figures to convince me to try coaching. ‘He showed us that it’s not necessary to follow people to the toilet in football games because there was the belief in these days that the defenders follow their strikers wherever they go. ‘He showed us that it’s possible to defend everybody. He was one of the first to implement a back four in Germany and introduce the style of not man-marking and still being aggressive. ‘He introduced 4-4-2 and high pressing and still he is one of the leaders of this in German football.’ United have mimicked Chelsea, not just by changing manager mid-season in pursuit of an upturn like the Blues experienced last season under Tuchel, but also by going for a German manager in a similar mould. Tuchel said: ‘There is no recipe. I cannot give any advice because everybody needs to do it their own way. ‘For me, it was luck to arrive here. We are a perfect fit and I do my very best to stay. ‘I don’t think these decisions (to change manager) are easily made. Everyone tries to find their own solution — who is available, who wants to have the job, who is capable of doing the job? But that is their (United’s) thing to do and we will not help!’ Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp backed up Tuchel, saying: ‘Unfortunately, a good coach is coming to England and Manchester United. Ralf is an experienced manager. He built most famously two clubs from nowhere to proper threats and forces in Germany with Hoffenheim and Leipzig. ‘United will be organised, we should realise that. That’s not good news for other teams. ‘But all coaches in the world, we need time to train with our teams and Ralf will quickly realise he has no time to train as they play all the time, so that makes it a bit tricky for him. ‘He’s a good man and an outstanding coach. In the football world in Germany, he is very highly regarded and rightly so. ‘Wherever he was, he did an incredible job.’