OneFootball
Emily Wilson·3 December 2021
OneFootball
Emily Wilson·3 December 2021
Following Michael Carrick’s resignation on Thursday, Ralf Rangnick’s time as interim Manchester United manager begins with immediate effect.
As a result, the 63-year-old held his first press conference with the club on Friday and here’s everything he had to say.
“When Chelsea contacted me, they only talked about the option to become interim manager for four months.
“We’re talking about six a half months [at United] and we also have a two-year advisory role.
“If a club like Man United contacts you for such a role, you cannot possibly turn it down.
“Maybe if it goes well and they ask me [to stay permanently], I might make the same recommendation as I did twice at RB Leipzig.”
“It’s not unusual that after a long successful spell [with Sir Alex Ferguson], the club needs to find a new pathway.
“The club has had no continuity in signing new players and sticking to the DNA of the club.
“In the future, the board members and myself have the same opinion. It’s important not to have many changes in management.
“The legacy of this club is unique. We have to follow this legacy and make sure the DNA will also be respected.”
“The major target for me is just to bring more balance to the team.
“If you look at the total of number of goals conceded, it is on average of two a game. That is just too much.
“Those are not the kind of games you need every day. In football to me, it’s to minimise the coincidence factor.
“Right now, we have to be realistic. The difference between us and the top three is big. But let’s see.”
“I got to know this two days ago. Had a private conversation with him for more than an hour.
“I tried to persuade him to stay on board but in the end, I had to accept his decision.”
“The first half was shaky with this unlucky goal. Even myself, I said where is David [de Gea]?
“After that goal, it was a major blow for the team, they were lacking confidence. Which is normal after the recent weeks.
“It was important to get the equaliser before halftime. You could see the potential that was in the team.”
“Having seen Cristiano in the second-half, at the age of 36, amazing, top professional. At his age, I’ve never seen a player who is that physically fit.
“But it’s not just about him, it’s about developing the squad as a whole.”
“We haven’t spoken about new players. Now is the time to get to know the current squad in detail, the squad is definitely not too small.
“Maybe after Christmas, there will be a time to talk about possible transfers [but] In my experience, winter is not the time for sustainable transfers.”
“There is no such clause in my contract [on receiving bonuses for signing Erling Haaland]. There is little point in speculating over new players.
“The offensive players we have here, we have so many top players in the offensive department that we don’t need to speak about any other player.”