How Ralf Rangnick took on the easiest job in world football

Several weeks ago, Ralf Rangnick was asked about Darren Fletcher and, more precisely, his role as technical director at Manchester United. The German’s answer was not quite so specific.

"What is his role in with regard to the club? I don't really know, to be honest.”

It was a quote that fans and journalists alike latched onto, one that summed up the mismanagement at higher levels and the cluelessness of the decision makers at Old Trafford. As with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, here was another former player pushed into a role to which he is inexperienced at such a high level. Not only that, but unsuited and, most of all, unnecessary.

It's been five months to the day since Rangnick joined the club, and the above remark has not been the only one to cause a stir. In fact, it’s not even the only one concerning the club’s technical director.

But enough about Fletcher. What do YOU do, Ralf?

Rangnick's role at Manchester United

Rangnick’s mission at Manchester United was an uncommon one. He would initially join as an interim manager until the summer, at which point a permanent successor to Solskjaer would be appointed. During this period, Rangnick, a former director of football at RB Salzburg and Leipzig, would take on a new role in which he would oversee the club’s development.

This made sense. He had only managed for two of the last nine seasons, but the RB Group had experienced huge growth and success with his involvement. If he could bring any of that magic to Manchester (or the red half, to be precise), then there would be happier times ahead.

Above all, this meant two things. Firstly, he would not be sacked from his post as manager, no matter how poor results or performances were. Secondly, his mere existence within the club ensured that any improvements could be attributed to him.

The owners, the board and the structure

As discussed earlier, Rangnick has been praised for his disclosing his analysis of the way that things are being run. Fans have celebrated his honesty and the contrast between his assessments and those of Solskjaer. He has not shied away from discussing the problems in organisation’s structure.

However, the owners and former senior figures (such as Ed Woodward) have long been unpopular, while the lack of on-field success shows that things aren’t working, particularly when compared with United’s biggest rivals. Rangnick’s observations are hardly revolutionary; in fact, they’re easy. We’ve all known for a long time that other clubs have a better working model.

Moreover, what he’s said isn’t just something we already knew, but it’s something that is bound to go down well with the fans. This is what they want to hear. They’ve long protested against the board and their lack of knowledge of the game. Here is Rangnick, a football man, agreeing. In his defence, it must be said, he's always claimed that United can catch up within a few years.

Managing the players

While the former Leipzig manager was brought in with a view to him taking a role “upstairs”, there was still some excitement about his potential as a manager. This was the “godfather of gegenpressing”, whose disciples include Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel. Granted, he had been nowhere near as successful a coach as his compatriots, but the biggest club he’d led had been Schalke. What if he were given a chance at a club with greater resources?

Alas, as it stands, his win percentage is the lowest of any Manchester United manager in 40 years. His advocates can claim that this season was a write-off, but was it really? There were five and a half months to play in the season after Rangnick took the reins, and the Red Devils were still in the Champions League and three points from fourth place.

There has been zero progress. A 4-2-2-2 formation was swiftly discarded, since which we have witnessed everything from a back three to false nines, and traditional wingers to inverted forwards. Of course, he cannot be criticised for failing to find a solution at the first attempt, but he has not come close to offering a consistent winning formula.

So we have the godfather of gegenpressing who, as evidenced in his side’s 4-0 defeat to Liverpool last month, cannot organise a team to press. Neither the tactics nor the performances have improved in five months. With the exception of Fred, not one player has looked better under his tutelage than prior to his arrival, nor more confident. There have been very few cases of a balanced midfield, despite the options available to Rangnick. Maybe Harry Maguire’s decision to move across for Norwich’s first goal in last month’s 3-2 win would have gone unpunished with a proper defensive midfielder to cover him. Instead, in an actual Premier League game, Rangnick opted for a midfield trio of Bruno Fernandes, Jesse Lingard and Paul Pogba.

At which point, the critics cry, the issue must be the players. None of them are good enough!

When that description applies to almost the entire squad (bar three or four players), then the problem might lie elsewhere. Surely the majority haven’t just downed tools, or ignored his instructions, or got irreparably worse at football. Rangnick may be waiting until the summer for a new role, but he still has a job to do now in motivating them and training them.

The next possible criticism: perhaps the players don’t care enough, their attitude stinks. Really? Marcus Rashford and Lingard, two academy products born in the local area, don’t care? They’re only in it for the money?! Granted, the duo’s form has been alarmingly poor, but that doesn’t only apply to them. Fernandes looks a shadow of his former formidable self, while no combination of full backs has impressed. And that’s before we get to poor Maguire, whose every mistake is catalogued and shared as a meme, another stick with which to beat him, ignoring the fact that he’s having to put out fires left, right and centre.

It's not only easy for fans to criticise the players’ attitude or ability; it’s comforting. Fans want shiny new signings. They want to know that there are better players out there. When they’re frustrated, they want a reason to boo the current crop – what better reason than their perceived lack of effort or supposed repeated mistakes?

The future

Rangnick wasn’t there to be a manager, though, remember? He’s just there to observe silently, like a school inspector stood with a clipboard while the children run around until a new teacher turns up in six months. Do you think the children’s grades will improve?

Which brings us onto the next manager, who will be Erik ten Hag. Again, was this a difficult decision given the options out there? Would any world class managers have left their current position for this role? Most are at clubs who are in a better place than United, while Antonio Conte has only just settled at Tottenham.

Ten Hag has taken Ajax to a Champions League semi-final playing attractive football and has won two league titles in his native Netherlands. This gives him more silverware than Mauricio Pochettino, another name linked with the Old Trafford dugout. Zinedine Zidane might have been tempted, but the list of candidates wasn’t a long one. It didn’t take an expert of the game to arrive at the conclusion that ten Hag is the solid bet.

Next, a director. It has been revealed that the club approached Brighton’s Dan Ashworth, who is headed to Newcastle and as a result, Rangnick has reportedly recommended Paul Mitchell at AS Monaco. This puts the German in a good position; should the club fail to acquire Mitchell, he can say he did all he could. Similarly, if Mitchell arrives and is unsuccessful – again, he wasn’t first choice. Hopefully things work out, though, in which case it was Rangnick’s idea.

And what about Rangnick’s own future? He has recently agreed to be Austria’s new head coach, a role he assures can coexist along with him advising at Old Trafford. He knows he can make that call, and that the United board have to accept it. After all, he holds the cards. Had the club insisted on him focusing his efforts and choosing one or the other, he could have walked away, safe in the knowledge that the fans would be outraged that the club let go of the man who came in and exposed the cracks in the club's structure.

“Exposed” might not be the right word. As already mentioned, Rangnick has discussed a problem that was already common knowledge and delivered popular soundbites. He cannot fail; either things will improve (which they surely must) or, if they do go wrong, he can point to the fact that he was not heavily involved or his advice was not followed. Just close enough to claim credit for any successes, but still able to distance himself from any disasters.

Manchester United have set that bar awfully low, and fans' long-held criticism of the board and clamour for new signings have made it even easier for Rangnick to leap above it.