Manchester
United
have
struggled
since
Alex
Ferguson
delivered
a
20th
league
title
in
his
final
season
in
2012-13.
David
Moyes,
Louis
van
Gaal,
Jose
Mourinho
and
Ole
Gunnar
Solskjaer
have
come
and
gone
–
the
latter
relieved
of
his
duties
following
humiliating
losses
to
Liverpool,
Manchester
City
and
lowly
Watford
at
the
end
of
a
trophyless
tenure
dating
back
to
December
2018.
There
have
been
Europa
League,
FA
Cup
and
EFL
Cup
successes
and
a
couple
of
runner-up
finishes
in
the
Premier
League
since
Ferguson
left,
but
United
have
never
looked
close
to
competing
for
the
title.
A
lack
of
direction
and
vision
from
the
top
at
United
has
seen
the
Red
Devils
slip
behind
their
rivals
–
the
absence
of
a
clear
footballing
philosophy
leaving
the
English
powerhouse
stuck
in
the
past.
But
Rangnick’s
appointment
on
an
interim
basis
until
the
end
of
the
season
suggests
United
are
ready
to
come
to
the
party
and
adapt
to
modern
football
–
the
most
telling
aspect
of
the
former
RB
Leipzig
boss’ arrival
being
the
two-year
consultancy
role
he
will
take
up
following
the
2021-22
campaign.
Rangnick
–
seen
as
an
innovator
who
is
known
for
his
high-pressing
philosophy
and
influence
on
some
of
German
football’s
brightest
minds,
including
Chelsea
boss
Thomas
Tuchel
–
could
potentially
be
set
to
oversee
a
long-term
transformation
of
United
after
leaving
his
role
as
head
of
sports
and
development
at
Russian
side
Lokomotiv
Moscow.
“The
question
is
always
what
vision
and
philosophy
do
they
want,” former
Australia
international
David
Zdrilic
–
previously
a
player
and
colleague
of
Rangnick
–
told
Stats
Perform,
with
United
eighth
in
the
table
and
12
points
off
the
pace.
“If
they
want
that
type
of
football,
then
he’s
definitely
the
guy
that
can
implement
that
on
all
levels,
not
just
the
first
team.
He
can
produce
that
right
through
the
club
and
give
it
a
real
identity.
That’s
if
they
want
that
identity.
So
that’s
the
only
question
really.
“But
when
they
say,
‘Yes,
this
is
the
type
of
football
we
want
to
play,’
and
it
seems
like
it’s
going
in
that
direction,
then
clearly
you
can
see
[that
identity]
with
all
the
clubs
that
he’s
worked
at.
Hoffenheim
is
a
club
that
he
brought
from
scratch
and
now
they
have
that
clear
identity.
“Leipzig’s
another
one.
This
[United]
is
different
because
this
is
a
big,
traditional
club
and
they
already
have
an
identity
of
their
own.
I
think
the
football
they
play
is
very
similar
to
that
style.”
Rangnick
will
have
his
work
cut
out
with
a
United
side
well
adrift
in
terms
of
pressed
sequences
(12th,
164),
passes
allowed
per
defensive
action
(14th,
14.6),
high
turnovers
(11th,
98),
kilometres
covered
per
game
(17th,
104.6),
defensive
actions
(17th,
296)
and
pressures
in
the
attacking
third
(15th,
589).
“When
you
think
of
the
old
Manchester
United
days
under
Ferguson,
it
was
always
very
attacking,
very
exciting
type
of
football,”
Zdrilic
said.
“So,
this
certainly
has
its
similarities.
So
that’s
going
to
be
exciting
to
see
how
that
develops.”
Zdrilic
knows
Rangnick
better
than
most
–
the
pair’s
relationship
dating
back
to
1998.
A
30-time
international,
Zdrilic
was
signed
by
Rangnick
during
his
time
as
head
coach
of
2.Bundelsiga
outfit
SSV
Ulm,
who
had
just
stepped
up
from
the
third
tier
of
German
football.
The
63-year-old
left
for
Stuttgart
before
the
end
of
the
season,
though
the
club
went
on
to
gain
promotion
to
the
top
flight.
They
reunited
at
Leipzig,
where
Rangnick
brought
Zdrilic
to
the
emerging
Bundesliga
outfit
as
a
youth-team
coach
over
three
years.
Recalling
life
under
Rangnick
at
Ulm,
Zdrilic
said:
“It
was
not
only
the
football,
but
just
the
way
he
approached
his
philosophy.
Basically,
his
philosophy
was
just
at
the
forefront
for
him
from
day
one,
and
that
was
something
I
wasn’t
used
to.
We
were
playing
football,
but
we
weren’t
really
talking
about
tactics
in
that
degree
back
then.
But
he
was
very,
very
convinced
in
his
philosophy.
“When
I
joined,
they
had
just
come
up
from
third
division
to
second
division.
I
had
one
year
in
Switzerland
and
then
he
signed
me
for
Ulm.
When
we
were
there,
I
just
remember
one
conversation
I
had
with
him
and
we
were
talking
about,
because
we
started
the
season
really
well
and
by
the
halfway
point
in
that
year
we
were
first
and
he
was
getting
a
lot
of
attention
because
of
the
way
we
were
playing.
“The
German
public
were
looking
at
it,
going,
this
is
a
new
way
of
playing
this
pressing
style
with
a
back
four.
Everybody
was
playing
a
sweeper
back
then.
A
conversation
I
had
with
him
was
about,
you
know,
how
this
season’s
going
to
go.
“In
my
head,
you
don’t
go
from
third
division
to
second
division,
then
straight
to
first
division.
So,
I
joined
in
second
and
I
sort
of
said
something
to
that
effect,
like,
‘Yeah,
but
you
know,
it’s
not
really
realistic
that
we’re
going
to
go
straight
up
to
the
Bundesliga.’
“The
way
he
looked
at
me
was
incredible,
it
was
like,
‘Why
not?’
But
not,
‘Oh,
why
not?’
It
was
like
looking
at
me
like
I’m
stupid,
‘Why
not?’
Then
sure
enough,
third
division,
second
division,
Bundesliga.
“He
did
it
with
Hoffenheim,
third
division,
second
division,
Bundesliga,
and
then
obviously
with
Leipzig,
he
took
them
from
the
fifth
division
all
the
way
to
Champions
League
and
to
one
the
best
clubs
in
Europe
now.
“It’s
just
incredible
that
he
has
no
doubts
that
that’s
possible,
whereas
most
people
would
say
you
can’t
do
that.
He
just
knows
100
per
cent
that
this
is
possible
and
he
brought
that
from
day
one.
“That’s
something
I
saw
and
it
stuck
with
me,
not
only
in
my
playing
days,
but
then
as
a
coach
was
exactly
the
same
thing
about
how
we
approach
coaching,
developing
players
and
coaches.
Everything
is
just
like
he
knows
100
per
cent
what
he
wants
and
how
to
do
it
and
that
conviction
is
why
he’s
so
successful.”
At
Leipzig,
after
spells
with
the
likes
of
Hoffenheim,
Hannover
and
Schalke,
Rangnick
took
charge
of
the
team
in
two
different
spells,
having
initially
joined
parent
company
Red
Bull
as
director
of
football
in
2012.
Under
Rangnick’s
leadership,
Leipzig
had
gone
from
the
regional
league
to
Champions
League
qualification
by
2017.
Rangnick
–
who
will
become
only
the
sixth
German
to
manage
in
the
Premier
League
–
was
promoted
to
the
head
of
sport
and
development
for
Red
Bull
in
2019,
before
eventually
joining
Lokomotiv
earlier
this
year.
Indeed,
Rangnick
has
only
faced
United
twice
in
his
managerial
career
when
in
charge
of
Schalke,
who
were
outclassed
over
two
legs
in
the
Champions
League
semi-final
in
2011
as
Ferguson’s
side
made
their
third
final
in
four
years.
“His
network
that
he’s
built
and
his
ability
to
find
talent
and
produce
talent,” Zdrilic
said
of
Rangnick’s
biggest
strength.
“You
just
have
to
go
through
all
the
names
that
he’s
found
and
produced.
Now
just
recently
you’ve
got
[Dayot]
Upamecano
going
to
Bayern
Munich
and
he
was
at
Leipzig.
[Ibrahima]
Konate’s
gone
to
Liverpool.
“Jurgen
Klopp
takes
a
lot
of
the
players
that
he’s
developed
because
it’s
the
same
principle
behind
the
philosophy.
So
[Sadio]
Mane
is
over
there
with
him
as
well,
[Naby]
Keita
he
took
from
Leipzig.
“All
of
these
guys,
so
many
talented
players
and
he
really
has
a
strength
in
finding
those
players
and
developing
them
and
obviously
selling
them
on
to
big
clubs.
They
are
huge
talents.
“I
think
the
thing
about
him
is
he
has
the
whole
package.
He
can
step
in
and
coach
like
when
he
did
at
Leipzig
two
times
when
he
wanted
to
get
up
to
the
Bundesliga
the
first
time.
He
stepped
in
in
the
2.Bundesliga
and
took
them
straight
up.
“Then
he
stepped
aside
and
gave
[Ralph]
Hasenhuttl
the
job.
Then
he
did
it
again
when
they
needed
a
coach
after
Hasenhuttl
to
step
in
before
he
got
[Julian]
Nagelsmann.
So,
it’s
just
incredible
his
eye
for
what
is
needed
and
how
to
correct
things.
“Not
everybody
sees
that
at
the
beginning.
They
see
the
results
at
the
end,
and
that’s
probably
why
he
obviously
controls
a
lot
of
things
and
a
lot
of
aspects.
So,
it’s
going
to
be
interesting
to
see
how
it
goes,
not
only
as
the
head
coach,
but
then
what
happens
after
that
in
terms
of
his
role
in
developing
Man
Utd.”
Rangnick
has
never
managed
outside
of
his
native
Germany,
taking
charge
of
five
different
teams
in
the
German
Bundesliga
in
his
career.
The
last
side
he
managed
was
Leipzig,
winning
promotion
with
them
from
2.Bundesliga
in
2015-16
before
returning
to
the
club
for
the
2018-19
top-flight
season
and
leading
them
to
third
place.
Across
294
Bundesliga
matches,
Rangnick
has
a
winning
percentage
of
41.
He
first
took
charge
in
the
top
flight
in
May
1999
at
Stuttgart,
losing
2-0
to
Bayern
Munich,
while
his
last
game
in
charge
in
the
competition
came
20
years
later
in
May
2019
at
Leipzig,
a
2-1
defeat
to
Werder
Bremen.
His
best
win
ratio
in
the
competition
came
during
his
first
spell
at
Schalke
(55.4
per
cent),
whom
he
led
to
second
place
and
into
the
Champions
League.
In
Europe’s
elite
competition,
Rangnick
took
charge
of
10
games
with
Schalke
across
the
2005-06
and
2010-11
seasons
–
his
last
match
in
the
Champions
League
was
against
Ferguson’s
United
in
May
2011
in
the
second
leg
of
that
season’s
semi-final,
losing
4-1
at
Old
Trafford
and
6-1
on
aggregate.
His
10
games
in
charge
have
seen
38
goals
scored
(20
for,
18
against,
3.8
per
game),
the
third-highest
ratio
of
any
manager
to
take
charge
of
at
least10
games
in
the
competition
as
the
Red
Devils
prepare
for
the
knockout
rounds
this
term.
His
best
top-flight
finish
as
a
coach
is
second,
achieved
in
2004-05
with
Schalke,
a
side
he
took
over
mid-season
and
led
to
a
runners-up
position
and
also
to
the
final
of
that
season’s
DFB-Pokal,
ultimately
losing
2-1
to
Bayern.
Zdrilic
added:
“He’s
very
charismatic.
He
can
be
very
firm,
but
with
the
players,
I
remember
back
then
he
knew
how
to
approach
the
individuals.
With
me
he
was
very
clear,
but
it
was
just
always
the
right
type
of
conversation.
“There
was
a
period
when
I
had
a
little
bit
of
an
injury
and
I
wanted
to
get
back
quickly
and
my
head
wasn’t
focused
and
he
knew
just
to
put
his
arm
around
and
just
get
me
back
on
track.
“The
conversation
just
brought
me
right
back
to
where
I
needed
to
be.
You
hear
a
lot
of
reports
about
players
and
that
kind
of
connection
that
he
has
with
the
players.
“But
at
the
same
time,
in
terms
of
the
business
dealings
and
what
he
needs
to
do,
he’s
very,
very
direct
and
he
gets
what
he
wants.
He
is
very
clear
about
that.
So
he’s
got
all
sides
of
that
character,
which
is
again,
why
he’s
done
so
well.”
As
soon
as
news
of
Rangnick’s
imminent
appointment
broke,
attention
swiftly
turned
to
Cristiano
Ronaldo
and
whether
the
five-time
Ballon
d’Or
winner
can
fit
into
the
high-pressing
system.
Rangnick
demands
hard
graft
from
every
player,
so
can
he
accommodate
a
36-year-old
superstar
not
known
for
his
pressing
from
the
front?
Zdrilic
pointed
to
Rangnick’s
time
with
Real
Madrid
and
Spain
great
Raul
at
Schalke,
saying:
“Now
you
wouldn’t
think
of
Raul
as
being
the
typical
pressing
player,
but
he
played
a
lot
under
Rangnick
and
[scored]
a
lot
of
goals.
He
was
able
to
adapt
to
account
for
players
that
maybe
aren’t
going
to
press
as
much
as
others.
I
don’t
see
that
being
an
issue.
“It’s
always
a
challenge
anyway
for
any
manager
generally,
but
he’s
certainly
equipped
to
do
that.
Back
in
my
time,
right
at
the
start,
I
was
the
guy
running
and
doing
the
pressing,
and
I
had
a
striker
with
me
who
was
a
bit
older.
“His
name
was
Dragan
Trkulja
and
he
scored
a
lot
of
goals.
He
didn’t
do
the
same
amount
of
pressing
that
I
did,
but
basically
still
profited
from
that
and
was
very
clever
in
that
system
and
we
were
a
pressing
side.
So
I
have
no
doubts
that
he’s
able
to
put
all
the
pieces
together
and
find
a
way
to
make
this
team
function
with
his
philosophy
and
with
Ronaldo.”
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