Thomas Tuchel hails incoming Man United interim boss Ralf Rangnick as he reveals his fellow German was a ‘huge influence’ and ‘one of the main figures’ behind his decision to become a coach
Thomas Tuchel has lauded Ralf Rangnick ahead of the German’s impending move to Manchester United, as the Chelsea boss revealed his former mentor was a ‘huge influence’ behind his decision to move into coaching.
Rangnick has agreed to take over at United on an interim basis and the German – dubbed The Professor – inspired a number of coaches in his homeland, including Tuchel and Jurgen Klopp.
The Chelsea boss was given his first coaching gig by Rangnick with the Under 15s at Ulm, having been forced into an early retirement as a player.
Thomas Tuchel has hailed Ralf Rangnick ahead of the German’s arrival at Manchester United
United have reached an agreement with the 63-year-old to take over on an interim basis
And ahead of United’s visit to Stamford Bridge this weekend, Tuchel has gushed over Rangnick, revealing he was a ‘huge influence’ as a young coach.
‘He helped me a lot because he was my coach and then he was one of the main figures to convince me to try coaching, so he had a huge influence on all of us at this time,’ Tuchel said.
‘He showed us it is not necessary to follow people to the toilet in football games because that was the belief: that defenders follow their strikers wherever they go, but he showed it was possible to defend in a zone.’
Tuchel’s Chelsea side are currently 12 points ahead of United at the top of the Premier League, so Rangnick’s impending arrival poses no immediate threat to the title hopefuls.
The 63-year-old was a ‘huge influence’ on Tuchel as a young coach, giving him his first role
Yet Liverpool boss Klopp has admitted that the 63-year-old’s influence at United is ‘not good news’ for the clubs vying to reach the summit of English football.
He said: ‘Yeah, unfortunately a good coach is coming to England so that’s how it is, to Manchester United.
‘Ralf is obviously a very experienced manager, built famously two clubs from nowhere to proper threats and proper forces in Germany with Hoffenheim and (RB) Leipzig.
‘Been to lot of different jobs in football but always his first concern actually was being a coach, being a manager and that’s what his best skill is.
Tuchel said Rangnick’s innovative approach to defending helped modernise German football
‘United will be organised on the pitch I think we should realise that and that’s obviously not good news for other teams.
‘But all the coaches in the world we need time to train with our teams and Ralf will quickly realise he has no time to train as they play all the time so that makes it a bit trickier for him.
‘But apart from that, a really good man and outstanding coach if it happens will come to England.’
More to follow.
