Man Utd nearly went for different manager instead of Ralf Rangnick as Zoom details emerge
Who is Ralf Rangnick? Man Utd's interim boss in profile
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Manchester United nearly named Rudi Garcia as their interim boss but are now poised to press ahead with plans to appoint Ralf Rangnick, reports say. The Red Devils sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last week. And they’re now hopeful their season can be salvaged.
United opted to relieve Solskjaer of his duties last weekend, just hours after they’d slumped to a disappointing 4-1 defeat to Watford.
Michael Carrick was then placed in charge for the victory over Villarreal in midweek, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho both on target.
Yet, now, United are poised to give Rangnick the job until the end of the campaign.
The 63-year-old has inspired the likes of Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel, while faring well at RB Leipzig and Hoffenheim in the past.
United believe he can steady their sinking ship, especially given the huge talent the current squad possesses.
However, GQ Magazine say the Red Devils very nearly went for former Lille, Roma and Marseille boss Garcia instead.
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It’s claimed they were ‘very impressed’ after talking to the 57-year-old on Zoom.
Garcia had flown to Manchester to provide coverage of Manchester City’s clash with Paris Saint-Germain but, in the end, was overlooked.
United had always made Rangnick their No 1 target to take the job.
And it’ll be curious to see how his time at Old Trafford plays out, especially given how the club have promised him a consultancy role in the future.
An agent is quoted as hailing Rangnick, though they do admit he’s a ‘particular type of guy’.
“He’s a projects guy,” the unnamed agent said.
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“He’s a guy who will come in and sink his teeth into a project for a number of years.
“He created a vision at Hoffenheim and Leipzig. They were his vision. He’ll devise the blueprint and make it happen.
“He’s a micromanager who is all over the small details. Someone once said to me that he’s the kind of guy who’ll tell the bus driver the quickest route to the stadium.
“He’s a particular type of guy, he runs the shows, he’s the boss. Is Manchester United too corporate for him to do that?”
The agent does think, however, it will take a while for Rangnick to help turn United around.
“I can’t see how this sits into a six-month plan,” they continued.
“Look where he’s been successful – they were over a number of years.
“How long will it take him to shake out the bad habits of the previous regime and then implement his ideas? Before he knows it the season will be done.
“And would Pochettino, for example, be happy with him staying on as a consultant? I’d be surprised if he was. United stayed for too long with Solskjaer and are out of managers as a result.
“Conte would have been an interesting choice for United, for example. As for his football, he plays an aggressive football that is big on pressing. It’s effective.
“When the team transitions, they do so at very high speed and it’s also based on attackers working really hard on their defensive duties.
“Will that suit the likes of Ronaldo? It’ll be interesting to see how United fans take to it.
“United is a really complex situation at the moment and the club have to have the end game in mind and know that it is achievable.”
Rangnick becomes the seventh person to be given the United job since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.
David Moyes lasted just 10 months before Ryan Giggs was given the final four games of the 2013/2014 campaign.
Louis van Gaal spent two years at the club, with Jose Mourinho then succeeding him.
Solskjaer came in in December 2018, while Carrick took the reins for the Champions League win in midweek.
And whether Rangnick can help United turn their season around remains to be seen.
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