RALF’S UP FOR THE CUP
United boss knows silverware is so crucial to have a chance of getting job for keeps
RALF Rangnick says it’s vital for Manchester United to win a trophy this season.
The German has hit the ground running since taking over from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last month.
United have taken a turn for the better with wins against Arsenal and Crystal Palace putting them right back in the hunt for a top- four spot in the Premier League.
Clearly making sure the Red Devils are in Europe’s biggest competition next season is the No1 priority.
But Rangnick knows the value of giving United fans some silverware to cheer too.
They are already out of the Carabao Cup but it sounds like Rangnick will give the FA Cup a good go after Christmas.
The Reds face a tricky tie against Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa on the back of the year’s busiest run of league games.
And it sounds like Rangnick will put out a strong team against the former Liverpool legend’s side.
The United boss said: “Our ambition is to be as successful as we can be.
“Since we are no longer in the League Cup – we lost against West Ham at home – so it’s even more important that we are trying to be as successful as we can be in the FA Cup.
“There were easier draws than playing Aston Villa at home but, on the other hand, at least we play at home.
“We don’t need to travel. I think we play them within six or seven days twice.
“A week later, we have the league game in the Premier League. But this is three or four weeks in the future.
“Now we have important games to come and we can speak about the FA Cup two days before the game against Aston Villa.
“But obviously this will be probably one of the most interesting games in this round.
“It is a game that we still want to win – that’s our ethos: we want to win games at Manchester United.”
Injuries
Rangnick hasn’t had the chance to field some of his biggest players yet due to injuries.
Rafael Varane and Edinson Cavani have been injured but are back in training and should figure soon.
Rangnick reported: “I’m very much looking forward to hopefully next week having Rapha Varane back again and Edi Cavani. My ambition is to work with all the players for most of the season, reduce the number of injuries in the next couple of weeks and months, and having them all on board.”
Rangnick has been putting his stamp on the Reds behind the scenes too. Caretaker boss Michael Carrick decided not to stay when the German came in.
That means he’s had to bolster his coaching team by bringing in sports psychologist Sacha Lense and Chris Armas as assistant manager.
They are new to the Premier League but Rangnick is confident they have what it takes to thrive at such a big club.
He added: “Sascha Lense, who we employed as a sports psychologist, or a mental coach – whatever you want to call him – we worked together for three years at Leipzig.
“He was there in the year I won promotion myself, and, in the two
following years, he was working together with Ralph Hassenhuttl and Zsolt Low.
“So the fact that I know him has been of great help. He’s a former Second Division player himself.
“He’s very much working on the field, on- hand, not in theory, not in putting anyone on the red sofa or whatever the cliches with these kind of jobs elsewhere.
Helping
“He should help everybody: the team, the players, even the coaching staff.
“To help the brain, to assist the body and not to work against it. I couldn’t put it in any other words than that. It’s helping to think the right things, always stay, in a way, on the bright side of life, if I may say so. That’s his job.”
Rangnick admits that losing
Carrick’s knowledge of the club is a blow but he’s decided to bring in an outsider rather than someone like Bryan Robson or Steve Bruce.
He doesn’t seem worried that his main experience has come in Major League Soccer in the States.
Rangnick said: “Chris Armas will be one of my assistant coaches. Since Michael Carrick is no longer there for me, it was clear that we need somebody.
“The thing about Chris, again, is that we’ve known each other for six, seven years.
“He was the assistant coach of Jesse Marsch at the New York Red Bulls. He’s then become head coach at the New York Red Bulls, and then at Toronto.
“So he’s well acquainted with the proactive kind of football we want to play also in the future. And, therefore, I’m very happy to have him on board.”