Former RB Leipzig manager Ralf Rangnick is regularly mentioned in the conversation around the managerial position at Manchester United.
The German coach has had massive success as a manager in his native country. During his time at Hoffenheim, he miraculously took the team from the third division to the Bundesliga in just two and a half years. He then went a step further at RB Leipzig by taking them from the fourth division to the Champions League.
According to the Independent, Manchester United have floated the idea of bringing in the head of sports and development at Lokomotiv Moscow.
In an interview with Coaches’ Voice, the German showed precisely why he’d be the ideal candidate for the role. He implements the ‘3 C’s’ which have been the main ingredients for his stratospheric rise through the ranks.
Concept
Rangnick said: “We’re trying to inject a certain DNA into the club. The guideline of everything is the style of football. This consistent orientation towards it in all areas is where we put our emphasis from day one.”
When his teams would lose, Rangnick wouldn’t panic as his vision would still be coming to fruition.
He added: “Even on a bad day, you would still be able to recognize the kind of football that we wanted to play. By doing that, we created a corporate identity in the whole club. Even the fans identified themselves with the style of football that we were playing. For me, this was a very decisive factor. It created identification within the squad, the staff and the fans.”
Manchester United’s ability to create chances has kept them in many games this season. But fans have questioned Solskjaer’s tactical prowess. Rangnick has a particular style of play, and this consistency could be refreshing for fans of the Manchester club.
Competence
The German stressed: “We were trying to find the best possible people for each job. The network that I have has allowed me to identify these people. In the end, it was my job to convince them to go on a mutual journey together. The key is to have competent and excellently trained staff in every position. Then we need to promote and challenge them. On the other hand, we also need constant benchmarking with the market leaders in other leagues.”
Solskjaer’s staff are predominantly unproven at the highest level, and this has been detrimental to United who have been lacking the overall structure to succeed. Rangnick is much more thorough in this selection process, and this fine-tuning could be pivotal for United to build towards better things.
Capital and Cash
“I believe that it enables us to implement the philosophy to start with. It does not replace competence, and therefore for me, it is a limited success factor. But if you use concepts and competence, usually that will generate capital in the end.”
Manchester United’s manager is undoubtedly a legend at the club, but has he got the credentials to take them forward? He may have led Molde to domestic success in the Norweigan division, but he was relegated to the Championship with Cardiff after coming bottom of the Premier League. His lack of managerial experience, tactical expertise and unsatisfactory backroom staff could be his undoing. Should this be the case, Rangnick undoubtedly, on paper at least, has all the qualities Solskjaer doesn’t. For that reason, he could be the one to take the Red Devils back to their best.
Read: Here’s why Erik Ten Hag is unlikely to become the next Manchester United manager.
Featured image credit: Getty
