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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Darren Wells

Ralf Rangnick told he is "lucky" to be Man Utd boss as "no-one else wanted him"

Ralf Rangnick has been told he is "lucky" to find himself in the Manchester United hotseat after being left on the managerial scrapheap.

The 63-year-old was appointed on an interim basis by United earlier this month - his first job in the dugout since 2019.

Rangnick had only spent little more than two years employed as a manager since 2011 prior to that, from two separate spells with Red Bull Leipzig.

Despite remaining in football in sporting director roles, Rangnick appeared to have few offers on the table to step back into coaching, other than a proposed move to AC Milan which eventually collapsed.

Join the debate! Was Rangnick a good appointment by United? Let us know in the comments section.

Ralf Rangnick was a surprise appointment for Man Utd on an interim basis (PA)

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And while he is regarded by many as a football pioneer, United supporters have been warned to remain cautious by ex-Spurs boss Tim Sherwood.

"I just think Manchester United fans need to relax a little bit. If they play the way he wants them to play against the top teams, then you can give him credit," Sherwood told Sky Sports.

"I think he’s earned the right to be where he is, but I think he’s lucky to be the Manchester United manager, I really do.

"No-one else wanted him. There wasn’t a fight for this guy. The guy was available, they think he was the best man for it.

"Yes he’s very good at talking to the press, he spins it brilliantly. But I’m not a fan yet and I think it’s right to be cautious about it."

Rangnick has held various other management roles previously, namely at Schalke, Hoffenheim, Hannover and Stuttgart.

Indeed, his arrival at Old Trafford even prompted Jurgen Klopp to remark: "It's not good news", out of awareness of the football mastermind Liverpool's rivals had acquired.

United had to prise Rangnick away from Lokomotiv Moscow, where he held the position of head of sport and development, and his agreement will see him take on a consultancy role at the end of the season for a period of two years to help revive the club's fortunes.

An unbeaten record in his three fixtures thus far have given Rangnick a chance of staying in the dugout beyond next summer, but even so, Sherwood is still unconvinced.

"I’ve seen it before, managers who talk very, very well – but the talking has to be done on the pitch and we have to see improvement in Man United," he expressed.

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"They’re underachieving and I say it time and time again, the art of a good manager is getting the best out of the individuals you’ve got at your disposal."

United escaped from Carrow Road with all three points on Saturday thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's late penalty, but it was a largely dismal display from Rangnick's side, something he was more than aware of.

"At half-time I told the boys we needed to increase the speed and intensity of the game," Rangnick told BBC Sport's Match of the Day.

"The second half was a little bit better but at the end we were lucky to have a clean sheet and there were two or three clean sheets by David de Gea.

"It's another clean sheet but still a lot of work to do. The second half I was not at all happy with the amount of corners that we gave away, but we got the three points."

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