Ralf Rangnick has been quizzed on Manchester United’s search for a new manager and the comparisons between this weekend’s rivals, Manchester City.
Rangnick took interim charge of Manchester United back in November following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with United looking to make a permanent appointment in the summer.
Mauricio Pochettino and Erik Ten Hag are thought to be the main names in the frame to take to job as United conduct a ‘thorough’ search for a new manager, though Rangnick says he hasn’t given any thoughts about being given the job on a permanent basis.
“I haven’t made any thoughts about that because my focus is on Sunday and then on Tottenham and then Atletico,” he told a press conference ahead of the Manchester derby. “There is no time for me to think about that.”
Rangnick is expected to move into a consultancy role at the end of the season, where he will work alongside Director of Football John Murtough and Technical Director, Darren Fletcher, who were appointed to their respective roles almost 12 months ago following years of underwhelming and conflicting appointments under Ed Woodward.
Meanwhile, cross-city Manchester City have established themselves as the gold standard of English football in recent years, the Etihad outfit having benefitted from a settled and defined structure at board level to support Pep Guardiola.
Asked if United have the structure in place to challenge for honours, Rangnick said: “To be honest, I haven’t thought about that. I don’t know the structure at City. I know about people here. I am focused on getting the best out of the team until the end of the season.
“For the past five or six years, they have had a very good and clear identity. Pep has a clear idea of how he wants to play. This idea is the headline for everything that happens at the club; recruitment, players they will sign or who they may sell. This is the secret of their success and their guideline for everything that they do.
🗣 "They have a clear identity of how they want to play."
Ralf Rangnick on whether Manchester United are in a position to get in a position near to Man City or Liverpool pic.twitter.com/Kc2DoBCdB8
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) March 4, 2022
“That is for the players and other staff. All of the top clubs in Europe have that in common and this is something that needs to be improved and developed at Manchester United in the next two years.”
Rangnick has attempted to implement a more pressing style since his appointment at Manchester United, and the German was asked if the next manager will be able to give the club a clear identity.
“I don’t know. That would obviously depend on the manager next season,” he said. “Every head coach has his idea of football. But for me is about continuing at the highest level.
“For me, Jurgen [Klopp] and Pep are two of the best coaches in Europe. They have a clear idea of football and having a vision.”
“We have had one or two meetings with the head of scouting [about the next manager]. I will not speak too much about that in detail. We have not spoken about the new manager too much.”
The former Leipzig boss was then asked about whether the lack of a permanent manager will affect the club’s planning for the summer transfer window, though he insisted he is ‘the wrong person’ to speak to.
“Again, I will tell you that we haven’t spoken about that. I am the wrong person to address the question. I am here to focus on the team. We can speak about it, but we have not had the time or opportunity yet.
“I am here until the end of the season and it is important to develop the players and develop the team. I am always there and will tell people my opinion, but as of yet it has not happened. But that could change in the coming weeks or months.”
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