Krishnan Sreekumar
Ralf Rangnick is keen to strike up a strong work relationship with incoming Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag
According to The Times (Subscription Required), Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick is keen to forge a strong working relationship with his successor, Erik ten Hag, when his tenure as head coach of the club expires at the end of the season.
ten Hag will be joining United after parting ways with Ajax Amsterdam, where he spent five years as their manager. During this time, he led the Dutch club to a hat-trick of Eredivisie titles and also managed to reach the sem-finals of the Champions League in 2019.
Now, he is set to take over the Red Devils job from Rangnick, and the German is keen to onboard his successor in the best manner possible. He has already made contact with ten Hag through Lars Kornetka, who is a mutual friend of both bosses.
Kornetka assisted Rangnick in his previous role as head of sports development at Lokomotiv Moscow and will now be working as his assistant with the Austrian national team in the summer. He knows ten Hag during their time together at Bayern Munich, where they were part of Pep Guardiola’s staff.
A meaningful spell at Old Trafford
Despite taking up the Austria job, Rangnick has developed feelings for the Manchester side and is said to have a clear vision of what needs to be done to ensure the club is successful again. In fact, he only took up the Austria job on the understanding that he still has enough time and energy to contribute to the Red Devils.
The former RB Leipzig boss’s wish is that his consultancy role, which he will juggle alongside his job with the Austrian team, becomes a meaningful one. He may not have much success while being in charge of the team as their interim manager, but he hopes to make a positive impact from the backroom.
Rangnick was appointed as interim boss late last year to guide the side back into the top four of the Premier League table. However, he has failed to deliver on this responsibility, as United sit sixth in the table and have missed out on Champions League qualification for next season.
He has also failed to win any trophies, overseeing the team’s exits from the FA Cup and Champions League since he took over. The German also did not make any moves in the winter transfer window in January, despite the side needing reinforcements to help them climb back up the league table.
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However, he is keen to work for the club’s success and has proposed that a meeting with ten Hag be set up after the side’s final game of the season against Crystal Palace. Ideally, Rangnick would like to offer the Dutchman a detailed assessment of the squad in order to improve it.
ten Hag will be expected to lead a massive squad overhaul in the upcoming summer transfer window, and Rangnick’s advice may prove useful when it comes to making decisions. Only time will tell who the new manager will end up bringing to Old Trafford to complete his new-look team.
