Man United job mere pension for Rangnick- Souness

Graeme Souness has given a scathing assessment of Ralf Rangnick’s appointment at Manchester United, claiming that the 63-year-old’s credentials do not ‘wow’ him.

United confirmed Rangnick as interim manager at Old Trafford on Monday following the departure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after a disastrous run of results ended in a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Watford.

The German has left his role as director of sports and development at Lokomotiv Moscow to take charge on a six-month contract until the end of May, before staying on at Old Trafford in a consultancy role for a further two years.

But Liverpool legend Souness claimed he did not understand United’s decision to bring Rangnick in as the club need ‘someone who will make an immediate impact’.

‘This is the third interim manager since Fergie went. I don’t get it,’ Souness told talkSPORT before the appointment was confirmed.

‘The man Rangnick’s CV is not one you would go ‘wow’ and doesn’t jump out at you. He’s not been super successful. I think he’s won one trophy.

‘His talent would appear, and we will find out, to go into a football club and develop the structure and improve in a five to ten year period.

‘That’s not what Man United need right now. Man United need it instantly. They need someone to make an impact now.

‘They’ve got a healthy group of players there and, there’s no doubt about it, Ole didn’t get the best out of that group of players.

‘That’s what you are judged on. You walk into a football club, get the best out of the players and then if you are there long enough you can bring your own ones in to kick on.

‘Right now, Manchester United have an underperforming squad of players.

‘Will this new guy, who has never been in the Premier League be able to do that? I don’t think so.

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‘I don’t get this appointment on any level. If you are thinking about five or ten years time and the structures he might put in place [okay], [but it’s] six months and then he’s going to take a nice consultancy role?

‘A nice pension for him, 63 years old, it’s lovely work if you can get it.

‘I just don’t get this appointment.’

United chose Rangnick from a shortlist of five candidates last week but have been negotiating his release from Lokomotiv while the former Schalke, Hoffenheim and Hanover boss applied for a work permit.