Blog 30: How Ralf Ragnick will integrate his style of play at Man United
The Premier League just got more interesting after the reports of Ralf Ragnick joining Man United took over the internet. The Godfather of German football who previously managed RB Leipzig and trained/influenced Jurgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann is set to take over at the Old Trafford after their former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer left the club. He is currently the Director of Sports & Development at FC Lokomotiv Moscow but Manchester United are hopeful of getting his signatures in the next 48 hours.
Ragnick's Gegenpressing Style
The Ragnick style kicked off in 1983 when he was player-manager of Viktoria Backnang. His Belief in fast-paced transitions has influenced many managers over the years. He has a clear style of play that he demands from his players. He once said that all of Europe's top coaches "know what their football looks like."
In the International Football Arena Conference, he said "You need to dedicate the game with and without the ball, not through individuals...use transitions, switch quickly...to think and find the right solutions quickly...and shoot within 10 seconds of winning the ball back."
In another interview, he said "You need to be aware of what kind of football you really want to play. A little bit of pressing? Come on, what is a little bit of pressing? A little bit of pressing is like a little bit of pregnancy. Either you are pregnant or not? Either you want to play pressing or not?"
It's very clear that he will demand aggressive pressure without the ball, but direct and verticle passing with it. Something opposite of what Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was trying during his time at the club.
The senior United figures believe Ragnick can both have an immediate positive impact on the squad, whilst also providing invaluable guidance from a technical and structural point of view. Ralf built his excellent coaching reputation after his impressive work at Stuttgart, Hoffenheim, Schalke and the most notably, RB Leipzig where he was both a manager and director of football.
Let's take a look at the predicted lineup of Manchester United when and if Ralf Ragnick takes over...
As previously stated by the 63-year-old, the task for United without the ball will be just as important as what they do with it. He frequently wanted his former players to win the ball back not only to regain possession but also to create more valuable goalscoring chances.
Jurgen Klopp has his say on Ralf Ragnick to Man United
"Unfortunatley, a good coach is coming to Manchester United! He is a really experienced manager who built two clubs from nowhere. United will be organised on the pitch. That's obviously not good news for other teams."
Where do you think Man United will finish at the end of this season?
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