Ralf Rangnick warned he faces giant task to turn Man Utd’s season around after awful start by Class of 92 legends
RALF RANGNICK has been tipped to lead Manchester United into the Prem’s top four.
But Class of ’92 stars Gary Neville, Nicky Butt, Phil Neville and Ryan Giggs have warned the incoming interim-boss of the giant job that awaits him.
Caretaker Michael Carrick remains in the hot seat for tonight’s home game against Arsenal as Rangnick still does not have the work permit required to take up his Old Trafford post.
But Gary Neville believes the 63-year-old German inherits a “disconnected and disjointed” team that is someway short of the Champions League spots.
Butt reckons the players must drive the standards rather than Rangnick, who takes over from the axed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during the hectic winter period with limited coaching time.
Eight-time Premier League winner Gary Neville, 46, said: “We’re 12 points behind Chelsea, it’s been a terrible start to the season and the manager has lost his job.
“For Ralf Rangnick, to finish in the top four would be a successful season.
“If we could win the FA Cup that would be incredible.
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“He has to somehow get those players, who have looked so disconnected and disjointed in the last two or three months, sorted straight away.
“They have lost all their confidence, haven’t really got a system of play and are not very good defensively.
“He’s got a big job to do but top four has to be the target for him this season.”
Butt won six league titles with United, including the glorious Treble-winning season of 1999 under Sir Alex Ferguson.
The former midfielder, 46, said: “I was fortunate to play with amazing players and we drove ourselves. We knew the standard needed to be high.
“We’d take the can for each other and we’d understand we would have to pull ourselves out of the dungeon to get up to the top. We’d be calling each other out.
“The manager sets the tone but it’s up to the players to manage that day-to-day.
“You can’t ask a manager to help you get on a pitch, give your all, work hard and do what is expected of a Man United player.
Rangnick’s got to get the confidence back in the team and start winning and competing again against teams above them like Liverpool, Chelsea and City
Phil Neville
“The players have to look at themselves before the manager.
“The challenge for Rangnick is to put the belief in the players and say, ‘Come on, it’s time you stepped up to the plate and manage yourselves’.
“You’ve got World Cup winners in the dressing room, players who have won things, big superstars and they should be able now to demand off each other.
“It’s difficult for a new manager to come in at this time of the season.”
Former Red Devils defender Phil Neville, 44, added: “The expectation at Manchester United is always to win and that’s probably what cost Ole his job.
“Rangnick’s got to get the confidence back in the team and start winning and competing again against teams above them like Liverpool, Chelsea and City.
“This is Manchester United. He has to compete, win trophies and get to cup finals and that will mean United are successful.”
It was a sad day when he left but it was a day everyone expected
Nicky Butt
Brother Gary added: “Lingard, Pogba, Rashford, Greenwood, McTominay have come through the development path.
“Ole had belief in the young players but the problem for United is the senior players in the dressing room aren’t as good as the ones we had to look up to.
“I look at the other clubs, they have Henderson, Van Dijk, Salah and Alisson at Liverpool, really strong players. Chelsea have Thiago Silva, Jorginho and Lukaku and they are really experienced, whereas Manchester United do not have a strong group of experienced players yet.
“Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane have only just come in.
“If they can get them together then there is an opportunity for those young players to grow.”
The Class of ’92, speaking on a live stream with ZujuGP’s Facebook page, played alongside Ole but agreed he had to go.
Butt said: “It was a sad day when he left but it was a day everyone expected.”
Giggs said: “We’re Manchester United and we expect to be competing for the Premier League.
“A few games in and we’re not doing that. Unfortunately, it had to come towards an end.”
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