3 things Ralf Rangnick highlighted which were wrong at Manchester United

Ralf Rangnick is now the manager of Austria’s national team after it was mutually agreed that he would leave Manchester United. We will look at three things that he highlighted publicly that were wrong at the club.

Rangnick had rejected Manchester United’s first approach when they were looking to appoint him as interim manager. This was due to the details of the consultancy role, which United had to amend as Rangnick eventually accepted the role.

Rangnick’s honest and brutal approach in press conferences and post-match interviews surprised fans. Fans were accustomed to previous managers protecting players and not criticizing the hierarchy at the club.

While the results were horrible under the German, his frank approach was refreshing for the fans. We will look at three factors the German identified that were wrong at the club.

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#1. Fitness

With the style of play Rangnick was looking to implement, fitness was always going to be key, especially due to high pressing demands. After a 1-1 draw against Southampton at Old Trafford, he questioned his player’s fitness levels.

The German stated that he “didn’t know” if the players were "fit enough." Manchester United started brightly in that game but found it difficult after the 40 minute mark. This was a recurring theme throughout Rangnick’s tenure as United’s performance levels would typically drop in the second half.

The number of players injured and unavailable was also an issue. Rangnick was unable to identify a clear reason for this. The intensity of training and pressing demands may have played a factor in this.

Limited options in midfield and striker department were clear to see and this impacted Manchester United’s results under the German.

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#2. Recruitment

Rangnick excelled as Director of Football for the Redbull network and implemented a successful recruitment strategy there. With a two-year consultancy role in place, Manchester United fans were excited to see how Rangnick would operate.

In press conferences, he stated that players running down contracts were an issue. The German stated that short-term contracts are imperative to ensure players remain hungry and committed.

With the likes of Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard both leaving on free transfers, this highlights Rangnick’s point perfectly. Both players knew they would be leaving this summer and this can have an impact on performance levels.

It was unfortunate to see how their relationship with the fans deteriorated. Manchester United must ensure that they do not repeat this mistake and should look to offer players short-term contracts.

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#3. Midfield

Prior to the January transfer window opening, Rangnick mentioned that he did not have the profile of player in midfield that he desired. We can assume the German wanted a midfielder who could operate in a holding role.

Neither Fred nor Scott McTominay could fulfill this role as they functioned better as a pair in the middle of the park. While both have effective qualities and attributes, they fail to be effective in the holding role as there are many more responsibilities.

With Donny van de Beek joining Everton in January, Manchester United were left with extremely limited options in midfield. Nemanja Matic was unable to play consistently over a period of games and Paul Pogba did not feature much due to injuries.

This meant Fred and McTominay largely started for Rangnick and it has become clear that the club needs more options in this position. Manchester United lacked a player who could effectively collect the ball from defence and progress it into the final third effectively.

It appears new manager Erik ten Hag has acknowledged that this is an issue that needs addressing. Talks are ongoing between the club and Barcelona for Frenkie de Jong and this would be a good addition.

Van De Beek is also set to play an important role for Ten Hag. This could be imperative as the Dutchman has rarely featured for the club up until now.