While Manchester United fans want Paul Mitchell to take charge, his hiring isn’t necessarily a priority. In Ralf Rangnick, the Red Devils already have somebody capable of planning recruitment ahead of the Erik ten Hag era. And while he’ll be a consultant, his expertise can be used elsewhere too as the fallen Premier League giants eye improvement.
Back in November, United sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
And, at the time, many were expecting Mauricio Pochettino to leave Paris Saint-Germain in order to become the Norweigan’s successor.
In the end, though, that didn’t happen.
United opted to temporarily give the keys to Old Trafford to Rangnick, believing the 63-year-old had what it takes to steady the ship.
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Now, months on, it’s become clear that the German’s best days as a manager are behind him.
United have genuinely, and alarmingly, regressed since Rangnick took charge – with their hopes of Champions League football next term virtually already over.
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But while his spell as a manager hasn’t worked out, his time as a consultant can.
One of the biggest pluses of Rangnick’s reign is that he’ll know which players are up to scratch, and which ones aren’t, having been managing the squad on a daily basis.
And that means his appointment as a consultant can be far more beneficial than that of Mitchell, despite his obvious talents.
Rangnick, as well as Mitchell, is skilled in recruitment.
And, given he’ll become a consultant at United, he can point the likes of Richard Arnold, Darren Fletcher and John Murtough in the right direction.
Rangnick’s appointment as temporary manager is also beneficial because he’s somebody with a genuine feel for the dressing room.
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He isn’t somebody who sugar-coats or hides his true feelings, as his post-match press conferences have proven.
And Rangnick can work closely with Ten Hag when the Dutchman takes over at the end of the campaign.
Finally, United appear to have the right structure in place as they plan for a brighter future.
Certainly things bode well. Whereas before Ed Woodward relied on scouts to inform him, Arnold now has several voices to listen to.
And Rangnick’s can be invaluable.
That’s not to say that he’s absolved from blame. United, given their richly-assembled squad, should be performing better.
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But Rangnick now knows what needs doing and how Ten Hag can go about it.
Whether that results in success, however, is something only time will tell.
Meanwhile, regarding Ten Hag, former Bayern Munich II player Tobias Schweinsteiger has offered an insight into his old boss.
And he’s insisted he’s a ‘role model’ who conducts himself well behind the scenes.
“We worked together for two years, two complete seasons, in the Under-23s team,” he told United’s official website.
“I have been his captain over these two years and for me, yeah, he is a role model. It’s because of him that I started coaching.
“He was always talking to me and I was talking to him and he always talked like: ‘Tobi, think like a player. Don’t think like a coach because you’re still a player.’
“But he gave me that feeling that there could be a talent for me in coaching.
“For me, he’s a role model. He’s developed over the years.
“I met him three years ago on a visit in Amsterdam for one week. I visited him and the first team, and also the youth teams, he showed me everything.
“He was so open. He showed me their philosophy, his philosophy, what he developed, his style of coaching, his style of leadership.
“For me, he is one of the best coaches in Europe, for sure.”