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2 months ago
23 Before Erik ten Hag took the reins at Old Trafford for the 2022/2023 campaign, Ralf Rangnick oversaw a brief spell as interim Manchester United manager.
His appointment came after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was relieved of his duties in M16, with Rangnick made fully aware that he – unlike his predecessor – would not be granted the job on a permanent basis, as Ten Hag had already been lined up to commence his tenure upon the culmination of 2021/2022.
Nonetheless, Rangnick officially took the role in December 2021, enjoying a victorious first game in charge with a 1-0 home win over Crystal Palace. However, as is usually the case with United post-Sir Alex Ferguson, their purple patch only lasts so long before the cracks start to show again.
The Reds were knocked out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid in the Round of 16 and sustained a 4-0 humiliation – though nothing compared to the 7-0 hammering at Anfield under Ten Hag – at the hands of Liverpool shortly after, with Rangnick proceeding to claim that the Merseyside outfit were ‘six years ahead’ of United.
He added: “We need positive energy for the new team and the new manager. It’s not the manager’s quality – it’s changing all the other things that have brought the club into a position we are in right now.
“The good thing – one of the few – is it’s crystal clear. You don’t even need glasses to see the problems. Now it’s only about how you can solve them. Not minor cosmetic things. This is an open-heart operation. If everyone realises this has to happen and works together, it doesn’t need to take years.”
At the time of his departure, Rangnick had recorded the lowest win percentage through his first 19 games (of 29 overall) than any manager since 2013, winning nine, drawing eight and losing two.
Despite being expected to continue at the club in a consultancy role under Ten Hag, the experienced coach opted to part ways with United to give his full focus to the Austrian national team, whom he still manages.
Rangnick shares update United assessment
Reflecting on the comments he made during his time in the hot seat, Rangnick has doubled down, insisting he was correct in his analysis – and you couldn’t really dispute the sentiment.
“I probably made that statement when the season was almost over about two years ago,” he said. “It is probably only two or three weeks since Erik ten Hag was asked the same thing. Then he said that I was right in my analysis. I don’t know how many players they have signed since, but it looks like I was right.”

 
