Klopp: This is not good news for other teams – he is an outstanding coach
with German television station DW’S Kickoff! show when he said: “The ticking can be irritating for them at first but what we’ve noticed is this type of training can affect players within weeks. They adjust their style of play and it becomes an instinct.”
Michael Carrick, who will again take temporary charge of the team for tomorrow’s trip to Premier League leaders Chelsea as Rangnick awaits work-permit approval, believes United’s players are good enough to adapt to an aggressive pressing style.
“There are a lot of different styles in football and there’s a good group of players here so whoever comes in and whatever style is implemented, I’m sure they can adapt,” Carrick said. “There is some real talent, some really good people within the squad and I’m sure they’ll look forward to what’s ahead.”
Rangnick, who is moving from Lokomotiv Moscow, is expected to bring a small number of coaches with him, most likely including his trusted video analyst Lars Kornetka, with whom he worked at Leipzig, Schalke and Hoffenheim.
He is also expected to assess the credentials of Carrick, Kieran Mckenna, Mike Phelan, Richard Hartis and United’s other coaches. That quartet all signed new contracts last month, just weeks before Solskjaer’s dismissal, although it is understood the severance terms are unchanged from their previous deals.
Carrick would not be drawn when asked if the plan was for him and the others to be involved with
Rangnick. “As I think you can appreciate, this week’s been quite busy already,” he said. “Again, I haven’t really had time to think. I haven’t given it much thought. My focus has been on preparing the best as best I can. It’s a huge responsibility that I have personally at the moment to do that and I’m giving everything I can for that. Anything after Sunday is not in my thoughts at the moment.”
Of all the ringing endorsements for the appointment of Rangnick, the most reassuring to United and their supporters arrived courtesy of their bitterest rivals yesterday.
“Unfortunately, a good manager is coming to England, to Manchester United,” said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Putting aside club loyalties, Klopp’s enthusiastic welcoming of his friend’s arrival is no surprise, given the duo occupy the same pages in the gegenpressing chapter of every encyclopedia chronicling the evolution of football tactics.
“United will be organised on the pitch, we should realise that – that’s obviously not good news for other teams,” said Klopp.
“He is a really good man and an outstanding coach. He famously built two clubs from nowhere – Hoffenheim and Leipzig – to proper threats and forces in Germany. He did a lot of different jobs in football but always his first concern was being a coach and a manager. That’s what his best skill is, obviously.
“Between the coaches [in Germany], he is very highly regarded, and wherever he was he did an incredible job.”
The praise echoed from Stamford Bridge, where another of Rangnick’s proteges now operates.
“Tactically, for sure, he is an elite
manager,” said the Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel. “He was one of the very first to implement a back four in Germany and introduce the style of not man-marking and still being aggressive. He was one of the pioneers to introduce a 4-4-2 and high pressing. He is one of the leaders of this development in German football.”
Rangnick is also expected to play a key role in United’s search for a permanent new manager. United will reassess their hunt to utilise what Rangnick can offer, given he is vastly experienced in recruitment from his work as a sporting director as well as a coach, and he is due to be part of the selection procedure. It is expected United will widen their net further and more seriously consider candidates such as Sporting’s Ruben Amorim whose name has already been discussed.
One United source said hiring Rangnick, who was the outstanding first-choice from their five-strong shortlist of interim managers, would hopefully allow the club to “put our foot on the ball” as to what happens next.
It is obviously not inconceivable, should he turn around the team’s fortunes and be successful, that Rangnick will become a candidate.
His arrival does not discount United making a move for Paris Stgermain’s Mauricio Pochettino who remains a strong option and is expected to be allowed to leave at the end of the season despite having one more year left on his contract.
PSG’S sporting director, Leonardo, who has a tense relationship with Pochettino, insisted yesterday: “We don’t want Pochettino to leave. He’s never asked to and no club has contacted us in relation to him.”