Manchester United make the right call

Ralf Rangnick the godfather of modern football credited with developing Gegenpressing has been appointed by the club to be interim manager and help adapt the club to modernize its coaching setup as a consultant later. Instead of trying to move from one extreme of coaching method to another the club have moved to set themselves a structure in tune with prevailing standards at top clubs. John Murtough the Director of Football is said to have driven this big decision and perhaps demonstrates the separation from financial management represented by most people at the board. Football finally triumphs at the premier English institution where Glazers have thrown money without knowledge of the game since retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.

United have been tracking Rangnick for over two years since the first meeting with Ed Woodward to become the first Director of Football. He clearly outlined two big deficiencies - recruitment and coaching in interview with The Times. Later hinted he turned United's offer down over how much 'control' he would get on those two crucial aspects. This issue must now have been firmly resolved for Rangnick to take charge. In recruitment he has helped unearth talents like Marcel Sabitzer, Erling Haaland, Joshua Kimmich, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Timo Werner, Naby Keita etc. In coaching he has inspired Thomas Tuchel, Jurgen Klopp, Julian Nagelsmann, Ralf Hasenhuttl etc. For now United players need to concentrate on winning the ball back in 8 seconds and scoring inside 10! Fate of the beleaguered coaching staff is not known but it could be a boon for the likes of Michael Carrick to learn under the German master.

If United go on a good run like they did under their last interim manager in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, will they succumb to temptations and appoint Rangnick full-time? If this process is as per statement put out by the club "Michael Carrick will now take charge of the team for forthcoming games, while the club looks to appoint an interim manager to the end of the season." they should not. Nagelsmann who worked under Rangnick might be in the shortlist to succeed with Erik ten Hag and alas no walkover for Pochettino struggling with ego's of big players at PSG! Rangnick has to identify his successor and help him achieve the target to win United its first trophy since May, 2017 potentially in May, 2023.

That will be six long years without a trophy which will be longest drought in clubs post war history since 1951 when they won the league championship after 40 year wait. In 6th year Busby won his first league title in '51, first trophy the FA Cup in 1963 after league win in 1957 the gap was due to devastating tragedy suffered at Munich. In 6th year United won second division in 1974 after European Cup triumph in 1968. United won the FA Cup four times between the league success of 1966-67 and 1992-93. Such is the gravity of task at hand on United's board to get this right. If they fail history is most likely to pinpoint the clubs decision to back an enigma of a player in Paul Pogba over Jose Mourinho who had won the League Cup and Europa Cup in successive years.

Last professor United had was Dave Sexton who handicapped by United's floatation in stock market combined with selling its best player in Gordon Hill endured a tepid trophy-less tenure that ended with eight straight wins without a convincing style and promptly got the sack. Rangnick has not managed at established elite clubs nor won major trophies like Bundesliga or Champions' League but help create and organize clubs like Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig. This appointment might not end the trophy drought but create platform to get the club to be competitive. Another professor Marcelo Bielsa is struggling at Leeds United this season.

United have an underachieving squad rather than inept. United need to bolster their midfield and correct the issues in defense to mount a challenge to Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea. Players have not hit a higher gear, big squad underutilized as same players were chosen, no new academy players included yet, upcoming winter transfer window to help push for top four with Declan Rice and Aurelien Tchouameni linked and perhaps Rangnick can help clinch the deal to land Erling Haaland next summer when Edinson Cavani leaves!

With Ole's blueprint starting to work Poch will have to wait longer

Sir Alex Ferguson met Mauricio Pochettino towards the end of 2015-16 campaign in May, 2016 but Manchester United ended up appointing Jose Mourinho instead to succeed Louis van Gaal. That was perhaps due to the presence of Pep Guardiola at City who had been rivals with Jose Mourinho in Spain with Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively. Many die hard fans questioned the decision as the football philosophy of MUFC and Jose Mourinho are poles apart, although he remains the most successful manager since retirement of Ferguson with Europa League, League Cup trophies and finishing 2nd their highest position since winning the Premier League in 2012-13.

Pochettino will always be admired for bringing the best out of young players under his charge and adopt a Gegenpressing style to play that's trending atop tactical pyramid of football coaching with Jϋrgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola leading the charge from their German Bundesliga stints where it was initiated by Ralf Rangnick with limited success.

With the turnaround by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer there is no risk to his position at the moment. The lack of depth in midfield and absence of backup striker things can go wrong quickly with a few injuries and rub of green going against, but as demonstrated by the Norwegian that his vision is for the long term and in line with the traditions of this great club where he is a legend from his playing days. If and when MUFC do consider a change of Manager the Argentine Pochettino will no doubt be amongst the short-list based on his excellent work at Tottenham Hotspur. That opportunity looks beyond this 2019-20 season and maybe next. Not winning a single trophy is a lacuna where the likes of Brendan Rodgers takes a lead but the context of taking a mid-table club to be a consistent top four side aided by excellent recruitment team under constrained budget cannot be ignored.

Solskjaer has beaten Chelsea twice and Leicester City once, drew with Liverpool and thereby shown big match temperament but what afflicts the side is to turn up against the mid table opponents especially away from home. Getting a midfielder and/or a striker cover in January transfer window and return from injury of almost nine players will ease the task and continue the upward momentum of MUFC. Two points and seven positions being the difference between Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's MUFC and Jose Mourinho's THFC both of whom will be chasing the elusive fourth spot, and that march just got a lot harder with a direct top 6 opponent making managerial recourse. MUFC host Tottenham at Old Trafford on 05-December just two days before the Manchester derby. That game should encourage the World Cup winner Paul Pogba to regain his fitness and form to deliver a world class performance for Ole's reds irrespective of transfer rumours.