What, Ralph is the father of Roddy Collins too? 
Sleepy Ralf was saying in his post match interview yesterday that if you can’t score against an Everton side who scored three against Burnley, you deserve nothing.
Very disrespectful to Sean Dyche.
Am I right in thinking that United are stuck paying this chump big money for the next few years.
At least he’s not a cunt I suppose 
It would appear so. He was trying to blag his way into the managerial job for next season but has instead bagged himself a role as ‘Special Advisor’.
Incorrect as usual. He was interviewed for the interim manager job but only agreed on the proviso that he have a two-year consultancy role. He was linked to the Director of Football role previously and formed links with Murtough once he was appointed by Utd.
Lads surprised that he didn’t have a magic formula to turn around a shocking squad with no playing identity and shocking defence in a couple of months.
He dead right about the players not deserving the results. It’ll take a decent window this summer and promoting some academy players to eveh challenge for the top 4. Ole may have done better with the squad this season but it wouldn’t have solved any of bigger issues that Murtough began instigating change for.
It’s some going all the same. A journeyman managerial career spent managing a host of mid table Bundesliga sides like Stuttgart, Schalke, Hannover and Hoffenhein, never winning any honours of note and he ends up as manager of the richest club in the world. He’s on the cusp of presiding over the worst league season at Old Trafford in 32 years and he’s still got two more years ahead of him on the payroll as a ‘Special Advisor’.
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I desperately hope Ralph stays involved. I loved what he said and I’d hope the board listen to him.
Writing off one season is nothing really if you can’t start fresh with a proper foundation.
@croppy_boy has confirmed that Sleepy Ralf is staying on for two more years.
It was all seemingly part of the deal when he took over as Interim Manager from Interim Interim Manager Carrick.
Keep up.
Don’t think anything is set in stone tbh.
You love to see it.
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It was optional I think. I reckon he’ll definitely be involved if Ten Hag is appointed.
…but to write off seven looks like carelessness
Biggest club in the world writing off season after season, it’s unbelievable
Probably the worst pound for pound in terms of player worth team I’ve ever seen and they’re content with how the playing side is run at the moment
This isn’t the Real Madrid thread
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Is that right? I’ll take your word for it, I’ve often heard ManU mentioned as being the biggest club in the world though I don’t know what the criteria is.
Either way they’re an absolute shambles at the moment and my point holds
Yes they are generally called that by Brits and Irish footix. Real Madrid are far bigger and more successful
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Both Real Madrid and Man U were founded in 1902. Real Madrid really a creation of General Franco. They didn’t win a Spanish title until 1932. Added another one a year later in 1933 and then over another 20 years before they added another one when Franco was bankrolling then operation.
A Johnny come lately outfit Real Madrid.
It’s been said before but it’s absolutely unprecedented in football history. Massive club, huge fan base, tradition of winning, hundreds and hundreds of millions spent on the team and on wages and they are complete shite year after year. Its never been seen before.
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Savvy owners with success in another sport, managers who’ve done well elsewhere, players who’ve done well elsewhere, unlimited budget. Hard not to conclude that the ghost of Ferguson is to blame for the malaise.
From the Athletic
Ralf Rangnick tried to dismiss the suggestion Manchester United’s players are psychologically influenced by the knowledge a new manager will be in place come the summer. “I don’t see any connection between this issue and don’t allow anyone to have this alibi,” Rangnick said.
The evidence, though, makes a compelling case for the club’s interim experiment being a desperate failure.
Chelsea are modern architects of that temporary structure, but when they hired Avram Grant in 2007, Guus Hiddink in 2009 and Roberto Di Matteo in 2012, the dressing room was strong and self-governed, populated by title winners. Those teams enjoyed varying degrees of success, including a Champions League triumph, another final and an FA Cup.
United’s squad have no such muscle memory and so it has led to an undermining of the leadership’s authority. “A new manager will come and it doesn’t matter if it will be announced in five, 15 or 20 days — the players should be eager to play Champions League football,” Rangnick insisted after defeat to Everton. The key word there being “should”.
Rangnick conceded: “But as long as we play like today, they don’t deserve it.”
“They”, of course, being the players Rangnick will stop overseeing once the season finishes. There was no collective “we” in the second part of his assessment. It is hard to see how that gap closes in the final seven games of this disastrous campaign, especially when there appears to be a disconnect between Rangnick and some players in his side.
The Athletic has been told about grumbles among players over there the number of days off between the matches against Atletico Madrid and Leicester City — at one point a run of nine from 13. They were given a five-day break after going out of the Champions League, then those not on international duty had another four days free before coming back the Tuesday ahead of Leicester’s visit.
That day Carrington hosted a friendly game against Blackpool’s first team. Mainly set up for United’s under-23s, several senior players featured in the first-half, yet because of the time away, at least one was concerned about going full pelt in case of suffering a muscle strain.
Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Nemanja Matic, Juan Mata and Aaron Wan-Bissaka were among those who played (Four starters and a substitute against Everton). Rashford scored as Rangnick watched on.
Rangnick spent time in Barbados during that first break and was absent from Carrington for one session when the players returned. Chris Armas and Ewan Sharp led the drills, two coaches new to the Premier League this season. Armas joined United after being sacked by Toronto FC in July 2021 following a run of one win, two draws and eight losses, the last being a 7-1 defeat to DC United.
Bayern Munich have gone the interim route too, appointing Jupp Heynckes in September 2017 after Carlo Ancelotti left the club third in the Bundesliga. German magazine Kicker reported how Arjen Robben took to organising “secret” training sessions with teammates because those laid on by Ancelotti had not been strenuous enough.
Just as with Chelsea, the Bayern dressing room was inherently resilient and Heynckes had managed the club three times before (between 1987-91 and 2011-13, and as a caretaker in 2009), winning four league titles and the treble in 2013. He added another Bundesliga by the end of 2017-18.
Rangnick, a renowned football innovator and sporting director, had been a manager in only two out of the previous 10 seasons ahead of joining United and never before in the Premier League. There was merit in bringing his expertise to Old Trafford but circumstances undermined his efforts. He was unable to secure his first-choice assistants due to the sudden timing of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking, and then the departures of Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna created a drain of experience.
Rangnick has been unable to appoint his first-choice assistants (Credit: Getty Images)
Rangnick’s ambitions to instil his trademark high-pressing style on the team had to be diluted because of personnel and United didn’t entertain any January signings, even after Mason Greenwood was arrested.
All these elements are the legacy of a club run by Ed Woodward, who dismissed Solskjaer without a concrete plan in place. It was a haphazard start to John Murtough’s tenure as football director, with fixtures coming fast and time of the essence. Rangnick was someone Murtough knew and could get.
The perceived benefit of appointing an interim was to allow space for a full process around a permanent manager. On reflection, though, the two managers spoken about now are the same as they were then: Erik ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino.
Talks are at an advanced stage with Ten Hag, but United could have made an approach to Ajax last November had that been the judgment. It must be hoped that United have used these months to build total conviction in their choice and a resolve to provide full support on recruitment.
Rangnick has suffered from allowing Anthony Martial to leave on loan. He also gave his blessing for Jesse Lingard to depart in January, only for the club to reject Newcastle’s bid. Lingard has played 101 minutes since the window closed and was an unused substitute at Goodison Park.
United’s bench consisted of Diogo Dalot, two goalkeepers, three players out of contract in June, two teenagers, and Phil Jones — a portrait of dysfunction.
Rangnick has not been involved in the process to appoint United’s next manager, but he will at least be able to offer insight to his successor on the environment at the club. The list of “what not to do” is growing.
As Opta pointed out, Rangnick currently has the worst Premier League win ratio of any United manager — eight from 17 games (47 per cent).
They disintegrated to defeat at Everton. Rashford’s two early shots and United’s momentum had the home crowd teetering on the edge. But Anthony Gordon’s deflected goal changed the mood and from there United were confused and slow.
At one point in the first half, Sancho and Rashford were both on the left so Wan-Bissaka had nobody ahead of him as Matic prepared to pass the ball to him (below).
Everton, brittle from the loss to Burnley, were there for the taking. United rolled over.
David de Gea called the display “a disgrace”. He was putting it kindly.
(Top photo: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
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