November 25, (THEWILL) – Ralf Rangnick has agreed to serve as Manchester United’s interim manager for the remainder of the season. The 63-year-old, who is regarded as Germany’s “godfather” of modern coaching, will leave his position as head of sports and development at Lokomotiv Moscow to take up the position.
Rangnick’s present club, Lokomotiv, is understood to have agreed to release him from his contract, however Manchester United does not expect this to be a problem.
Rangnick has agreed to a six-month contract that will last until the end of May. He will work as a consultant for another two years but he will not be in charge for the coming weekend’s game at Chelsea due to work permit issues.
United’s 4-1 loss to Watford on Sunday morning, resulted in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer being fired as manager, as THEWILL reported. They were pushed down to eighth place in the Premier League as a result of the outcome.
Rangnick, who has previously managed Hannover, Schalke, Hoffenheim, and RB Leipzig, was promptly hired in confirmation of United’s decision for an interim manager until the conclusion of the season. At the turn of the century, Rangnick also guided little-known German club Ulm to the Bundesliga for the first time in their history.
Rangnick has also had a lot of success as a football director. From 2012 onwards, he served in that capacity for both Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig, with brief periods as manager at both clubs.
Leipzig advanced from the regional league (fourth tier) to the Bundesliga after Rangnick took over.
For United, first and foremost, Rangnick will bring a distinct playing style to Old Trafford. The manager has long been regarded as one of the pioneers of the now-ubiquitous organised, collective pressing that most current teams employ.
After a friendly versus Dynamo Kyiv in 1984, which was managed by tactical visionary Valeriy Lobanovskyi, he invented the style.
The successful managers who have been influenced by the German tactician’s style are numerous. Jurgen Klopp has long been inspired by his work on pressing. He also collaborated with Thomas Tuchel, Ralph Hasenhuttl, and Julian Nagelsmann, serving as a mentor to each of them.
United’s goal to seek a permanent manager in the summer is still on track. They will think about their options for the rest of the season. Rangnick’s aim will be to get them back on track following a rocky start to the season.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
