RDC Mbabazi alabudde bassentebe ku ggaali ezaabaweereddwa The Ralf Rangnick era has begun at Manchester United. The German, so influential in the rise of gegenpressing, faces the toughest challenge of his career in taking charge of possibly the most high profile job in club football. It is a job that demands quite a lot, and comes with even more scrutiny and unpacking every step of the way. And if he is to succeed it will be a different success story to those of his predecessors. Rangnick’s influence at the club may not even reach it’s heights with him on the touchline, and he could set the stage for others to follow him as manager and reach greater achievements in the process. If he succeeds, Rangnick could be the first to establish structure in the club independent of the man in charge of it.
When Manchester United officially announced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure, emphasis was placed on not referring to it as a sacking because of the club’s wish to keep his status as a beloved and appreciated figure within the club intact. That should be the case as Solskjaer is a club legend regardless of his managerial tenure, and scored arguably the most significant goal in the history of the club. It should also be the case because more than any other manager post-Sir Alex Ferguson, Solskjaer made a positive impact on the club’s teambuilding and culture. His players liked him til the end, as did most of the fans, and his emotional connection to the club and its culture was an important part of his managerial tenure. When it ended it felt worse than the failures of other managers before him because of his connection to the club. Many fans were desperate to see him succeed because of his legacy status, and he presented an image of what most fans remember the club to be, but never cracked the code to consistently show it on the pitch. Like many before him, Solskjaer was the centerpiece of the club’s overall strategy, and when he left so did the sense of identity