Former Manchester United assistant manager Steve McClaren hopes his old side box clever and allow Ralf Rangnick to use his knowledge to rebuild the club.
The 63-year-old was appointed interim manager on Monday, until the end of the season and then he will take up a consultancy role on a 2-year contract.
I believe it’s the best-case scenario for United – to get a coach like Rangnick in for the remainder of the season, to teach the players a thing or two about pressing, before he moves upstairs to help rejuvenate how the club operates.
Manchester United has been commercially driven for far too long, with businessmen making important football decisions.
We are starting to see a shift in that now with John Murtough and Darren Fletcher working closely, but don’t be naïve in thinking Ed Woodward doesn’t get his dirty hands all over every big decision.
It remains to be seen what way Woodward’s successor will operate, once he leaves, and it’s likely to be Richard Arnold. He may not want a hands-on approach when it comes to the football, so they’ve decided to agree to having Rangnick around longer than six months.
Rangnick is expected to take full control of the team from the dugout for United’s Premier League clash against Crystal Palace on Sunday, meaning Michael Carrick will stand in his place on Thursday night versus Arsenal.
McClaren, who was invited to succeed Brian Kidd as assistant manager to Sir Alex Ferguson at United, hopes Rangnick can instill a positive identity for the club to build on.
“I hope United are clever and they’ll allow him to build a club,” McClaren told talkSPORT. “He’s gone in there six months as a manager and he’s a club builder.
“He goes on the three Cs of Concept, Creating the DNA – for the club a recognisable style of play with fast, attacking football and Competence – getting the right staff and right players, that’s the key area.”
An identity to how we play is exactly what United fans are craving.
Rather than bland counter attacking football.