Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag refuses to back Ralf Rangnick with blunt answer on predecessor

Erik ten Hag's Man Utd in-tray

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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag refused to clarify Ralf Rangnick’s role at the club going forward in his first press conference on Monday. Ten Hag has replaced Rangnick in the dugout after his tumultuous interim spell ended at the weekend.

United’s toothless 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace, their sixth successive away from home in the league, summed up the German’s time at the club. From dressing room conflict to uncertainty over his own future, it was a recipe for disaster, culminating in the club’s worst-ever Premier League campaign.

But as United move on under their new, modern manager, Rangnick is expected to enter the club’s hierarchy as a part-time consultant on a two-year contract. However, his focus will currently be on the Austrian national team ahead of June’s Nations League games.

Following his recent appointment, there is a sense of scepticism about how big a role Rangnick will actually play at Old Trafford going forward. And when asked about his upcoming involvement in the first-team, Ten Hag didn’t seem to have much of an idea either.

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The Dutchman insisted that all final decisions would go through him and suggested that Rangnick is set to work with the club rather than with him directly. He said: “It’s part of my analysis. I analyse by myself, I observe, I speak to a lot of people, but finally, I’ll draw my own line. That is on the club [Rangnick’s consultancy].”

Ten Hag will work closely with his assistants Mitchell van der Gaag and Steve McClaren, officially announced by United before Monday’s press conference. Rangnick is understood to be ready to give him a debrief of his experience with the current squad, but his primary purpose will involve helping the club make football decisions.

Rangnick is yet to meet Ten Hag in person, despite the 52-year-old watching his side face Palace live from Selhurst Park on Sunday. However, he has confirmed they have been in contact and will likely meet face-to-face imminently.

“We’ve been in contact via WhatsApp, and, hopefully, we’ll have the opportunity to meet and speak in person, either over the weekend or on Monday morning at the latest,” Rangnick explained. “I’m looking forward to speaking with him in person and getting to know him in person.”

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