Godfather of gegenpress

LONDON • Manchester United have named Ralf Rangnick as interim manager until the end of the season, the Premier League club announced yesterday, eight days after sacking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The German steps in to replace the Norwegian, who was removed after United's 4-1 defeat by Watford earlier this month, with the board pulling the plug after the team's seventh loss in 13 games across all competitions.

After this campaign, Rangnick, 63, will continue in a consultancy role for a further two years, the club said in a statement.

Former United midfielder Michael Carrick, one of Solskjaer's assistants, will remain in charge of the first team until Rangnick's work visa is finalised.

Carrick took charge of the team for their Champions League victory at Villarreal last Tuesday, and oversaw the 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Sunday. United, who are eighth with 18 points from 13 games, host Arsenal in the league on Thursday.

Rangnick began coaching in the early 1980s and is a proponent of "gegenpressing", a style in which teams press high and use counter-pressing to win the ball back as soon as possible after losing it, rather than falling back to regroup.

It is a philosophy espoused by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel and Rangnick intends to showcase it at Old Trafford.

"I'm excited to be joining United and focused on making this a successful season for the club," he said. "The squad is full of talent and has a great balance of youth and experience. All my efforts for the next six months will be on helping these players fulfil their potential, both individually and, most importantly, as a team."

It will be fascinating to see if he can persuade Cristiano Ronaldo to carry out his demands after the striker's apparent unwillingness to get his hands dirty this term. Ronaldo is not the only United star who might benefit from Rangnick's arrival, with their often shambolic defending one area his rigorous approach could improve.

United lured Rangnick from his role as Lokomotiv Moscow's head of sports and development after learning Paris Saint-Germain were not willing to part with Mauricio Pochettino at present.

A self-confessed Anglophile, Rangnick, nicknamed "The Professor", studied English and physical education at the University of Sussex in the 1970s. He played non-league football for Southwick during that spell in England and once worked as an intern at Arsenal.

Despite his modest CV - Rangnick has won just one major honour, the 2011 German Cup with Schalke - he is widely respected.

He achieved back-to-back promotions with Hoffenheim in 2007 and 2008 to get them into the Bundesliga for the first time. As director of football at RB Leipzig, a position he filled from 2012 to 2019, he oversaw their rise from German football's fourth tier to Champions League regulars during his reign.

He also held the same position at RB Salzburg, where he helped the Austrian club sweep the domestic trophies on offer and laid the foundation for future qualification to the Champions League.

"Ralf is one of the most respected coaches and innovators in European football," United football director John Murtough said.

"He was our No. 1 candidate for interim manager, reflecting the invaluable leadership and technical skills he will bring."

Former United skipper Gary Neville was thrilled with the news, tweeting: "Welcome to the greatest football club in the world Ralf Rangnick. A contract for six months to coach the team. A contract for two years to coach the club."

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE