Gary Neville says Ralf Rangnick has already WRECKED his chances of becoming Manchester United’s next boss… and fears they will get ‘beat up’ by Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea if the next hire isn’t a ‘great manager’
- Gary Neville believes Ralf Rangnick won’t get the permanent role at Old Trafford
- He believes Rangnick will have a say on the next manager at Manchester United
- Mauricio Pochettino and Erik ten Hag have been linked with the permanent role
- Neville has also spoken of the importance in getting their next manager right
- He has urged them to get a manager to match Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea
Gary Neville believes Ralf Rangnick has not done enough to take the Manchester United reins permanently this summer.
The 63-year-old replaced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on an interim basis back in November until the end of the season, before he’ll take up a consultancy role until 2024.
There had been suggestions he could take the role permanently if he impressed during his interim tenure at the club, though Neville believes the 63-year-old has wrecked his chances and instead will be advising on who the next manager should be.
Gary Neville claims Ralf Rangnick will have a say on who the next Manchester United boss is
It has been a season of turmoil on and off the pitch for Manchester United this campaign
He said on the Gary Neville Podcast: ‘I don’t think he (Rangnick) gets the job at the end of the season come what may now.
‘I think maybe there was a feeling if United went like that (points upwards) then that would happen – it isn’t going to happen, Manchester United will have a new manager next season.
‘I think he will (have a say on who next manager will be) because what he’s got is a real good view of the characters, personalities, performance levels and training levels of the current group of players, so he is in a strong position to advise.
Neville would rather Rangnick get his future consultancy at the club right than his coaching
‘He is probably in the strongest position to advise because he is having day-to-day contact with them. He is seeing how they cope with disappointment, how they cope with atmospheres, how they cope with big games, how they cope with training; can they meet the demands of the club? Have they got the quality?
‘People say he is a sporting director and a coach, but the reality is that his position as a coach is short-term; his position is assisting the club; constructing their new methodology and structure moving forward is a longer term position for two years.
‘I’d rather him get that bit right; I’d rather suffer in the short-term for the longer-term perspective being right.
‘He has got good experience around building structures in football clubs and Manchester United do need that.’
Manchester United have been linked with a host of names for the permanent job, including PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino and Erik ten Hag of Ajax.
Neville has urged United to appoint a boss who can fight Pep Guardiola (left) and Jurgen Klopp
Neville said United will get ‘beat-up’ if they don’t hire a manager like Thomas Tuchel (pictured)
Neville says United need a boss that matches the quality of those at Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea – otherwise, they’ll get ‘beat-up’.
He said: ‘In the summer, they have got big appointments to make, namely the manager.
‘The manager has got to be right next season to be able to take on (Thomas) Tuchel, (Pep) Guardiola and (Jurgen) Klopp because if you don’t take on those three with a manager who can face them like-for-like, you will get beat up.
‘It has been proven over the last few years that great managers in this league will bring you great things; Manchester United need a great manager to compete with the ones that are at that level in this league at this moment in time.
Mauricio Pochettino is one of the strong contenders to get the United role permanently
Rangnick’s main task this season is to ensure United qualify for the Champions League
In what has been a torrid campaign for Manchester United, back-to-back wins over Brighton and Leeds mean they now have a four-point gap over West Ham in the battle for the Champions League places.
The battle also currently consists of Arsenal, Tottenham and Wolves – who could all go ahead of the Red Devils if they win their respective games in hand.
Rangnick’s big challenge until the end of the season will be to ensure whoever takes the role permanently in the summer will have Champions League football to play next season.
There had been hope United could challenge for the title this season thanks to the additions of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane.
But after a season of turmoil on and off the pitch, they sit 17 points off Manchester City and 11 off Liverpool.
Recent wins have seen them close the gap to Chelsea down to four points – though Tuchel’s side do have a game in hand.
