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For many people who are not die-hard football fans, the name came as a surprise. Many had not heard of him up until now. But in Germany, he was a key figure, especially during the 90s/2000s when German football was transformed and became the foundation of many of the top German managers we see today dominating world football. Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool), Thomas Tuchel (Chelsea) and Julian Nagelsmann (Bayern Munich) are the immediate benefactors of his in-depth knowledge.
Despite this strong influence, his accolades and status do not actually include winning trophies. In his whole managerial career, he has only won one trophy, that being a domestic German trophy.
He is instead accredited with bringing clubs from the brink back to life, getting them challenging and showing that talent and money alone cannot lift a club. Stuttgart, Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig most recently are just a few of the clubs on his resume that he brought to the top of German football – challenging for top honours.
He turned teams into machines. Relentless pressing which led to the oppositions making mistakes which can then be taken advantage of. Some of the worlds best players were crafted by Rangnick and perfected by other managers who are using ‘gegenpressing’ as the foundation of their tactics, e.g. Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.
Rangnick was the brains behind ‘gegenpressing’ football. Relentless pressing on and off the ball, which was unheard of in Germany prior to his arrival. He also introduced video analysis into German football which revolutionised the way the game is viewed by those on the pitch.
The closing down of the opposition as soon as you’ve lost the ball is a very difficult task and requires immense work off the ball for the team let alone on it, but if perfected, like Klopp has at Liverpool, you are a force that is difficult to be reckoned with.
Whereas the era of Arsene Wenger in English Football brought about a revolutionised way of playing, of allowing players to follow rules but play freely at the same time, Rangnick is the opposite. “Experience has taught me players need clear rules”, Rangnick has said. And he is not wrong. The new era of English football has shown that clear guidance and pressing is the most tactile way of gaining the upper hand in games. Klopp, a protégé of Rangnick is the prime example of this.
If you look at the players Liverpool have now prior to coming to Liverpool, they were not the same players. You would not see Mane and Salah closing down defenders like they now do. You would not see Fabinho or Henderson pressing down on players like they now do. The ‘gegenpressing’ mindset that Klopp brought from Germany has shown it is the best way to play football in England now, and as Klopp put it, we, the English clubs, should be worried that a manager like Rangnick is coming and to Manchester United of all clubs.
The talent at Manchester United is plain to see. Manchester United arguably have world class players in every position right now other than Central Defensive Midfield. Unfortunately, what Ole could not do is to control these players and give them clear rules to play by. It seemed Ole would chuck players on and just hope for the best.
Now under Rangnick, you can expect some drastic changes, albeit not overnight. The coming months will most likely bare fruit of what direct guidance, rules and specific tactics can do for United. Especially from players like Sancho who have already played the way of Rangnick with Dortmund.
But will he succeed at United? Only time will tell – and United barely have any to spare. Unfortunately, Rangnick’s technique does require time. It takes rewiring how football is played particularly for those players who have never played in such a way before.
Gegenpressing takes a massive toll on you physically and mentally. It leads to a lot of injuries. It leads to a lot of fatigue and requires great mental strength not to stop. Applying this mentality and attitude at United will be an arduous task.
From the current United squad, only a small handful of players occasionally already try this during the game. Ronaldo pressing down defender’s time and time again will be a miracle to see. Not that he isn’t one of the best we have ever seen but he is no longer at that stage in his age or career to be doing this. Therefore, Rangnick will have some tough decisions to make on who is capable of what he requires and who isn’t.
United could be the team they once used to be come next season, but Rangnick is only managing till the end of the season. His position to go up the hierarchy after is probably a better decision than him managing. His influence on picking the next manager will be key to all of this. Get that wrong, and its over. Manchester United will be a sub-par team again for another half a decade.
It’s a very tricky period for Manchester United and for Rangnick, but if navigated properly, this could be the revolution United have been looking for since Sir Alex Ferguson left.
United will not be challenging for the title this season, their battle lies in qualifying for the Champions League. But we need not discuss what Rangnick brings as a manager. We know what he is capable of, and to manage half a season is not enough time to change the whole philosophy at a club. Rangnick should be judged in three years’ time, after the permanent manager is selected and given a few years to show what progress United make. That will be Rangnick’s real test.
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