Job No.1 for Ten Hag? Give Ralf the push
ERIK TEN HAG’S first mission as Manchester United manager should be a simple one – get rid of Ralf Rangnick.
The Dutchman is inheriting an almighty mess at Old Trafford and the last thing he needs is the man who helped create it looking over his shoulder.
Ten Hag wants a blank sheet of paper and the authority to act as he sees fit. Wield the axe. Cuddle some players, give some a right royal kick up the backside.
What he doesn’t need is any so-called help from a bloke who masterminded nothing at Old Trafford, and instead just added to the confusion.
Rangnick’s chief achievement is cutting the bleeding sores even deeper. His ‘Guru of Gegenpressing’ schtick has taken a right kicking.
This was supposed to be the first time that Manchester United and their players received a lesson from the godfather of the philosophy.
Six months down the line and no one – probably including Rangnick himself – is any the wiser about exactly what it is he has taught any of them.
Unless you had ‘disorganised rabble’ as an ambition, the German’s confused approach has only added to the long list of United’s issues. What does he stand for, exactly? And why would Ten Hag (right) need a consultant
– the role which
Rangnick will occupy for the next two years
– to guide him, with the former interim working for just six days per month.
At this point, I have to make an admission.
A few weeks ago, I was of the opinion that Rangnick could be a help to the new manager. And said so here.
But after looking at that sorry episode at Anfield on Tuesday night, Ten Hag really needs to find his own path without any prompting. He needs to draw his own conclusions about the problems he faces.
They are everywhere you look. The fans are in open revolt against reviled owners, and this week two of the men responsible for the transfer carnage that has been a hallmark of the last eight years have been booted out.
Chief scout Jim Lawlor and head of global recruitment Marcel Bout were both sent packing, after a spending splurge that somehow succeeded in ripping value out of anything they bought.
And it was strange how the pair managed to outlast managers ranging from David Moyes and Louis van Gaal through to Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Were they all bad buys? The evidence suggests not.
But how much money was wasted on their watch? The mind boggles. And what have they left behind in the dressing room? Some quality, undoubtedly.
But if it wasn’t for the influence of Cristiano Ronaldo – whose goals this season have settled some tight games in United’s favour – where exactly would the club be?
The race for fourth would have been over weeks, if not months, ago.
Despite what the punters think, the evidence is that the Glazers have supported their managers..
Not as well as the supporters might like – but a net outlay of £900million in the past decade isn’t chicken-feed.
It’s just been blown on players not fit for the purpose of playing at the very top of English and European football. Too many bad buys. Not enough good buys.
But if he hopes to be successful, there is one more goodbye Ten Hag needs to force – showing his predecessor the exit door.