Ralf Rangnick is expected to make several changes to the way Manchester United train and could introduce a ‘countdown clock’ at Carrington, according to reports.
He has agreed a deal to take over the reins at the club until the end of the campaign – after which point he will take up a consultancy position – but will not be in the dugout against Chelsea on Sunday.
Rangnick is well known for his revolutionary approach and creative training sessions and looks set to bring that to Old Trafford too.
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One of the biggest criticisms aimed at United players is that they do not work or press hard enough off the ball, which could be a major issue for a manager who developed gegenpressing.
But The Telegraph claim that Rangnick will not be changing his style of play or philosophy and is ready to bring some of his tested methods to Manchester.
The major one is a special, customised clock that is visible -and audible – to all the players during training and helps drill them into pressing effectively.
Rangnick has used the ticking countdown clock at his previous teams, including RB Leipzig, and it helps get the players into the mindset of winning back possession quickly.
The German demands that his team win back possession within eight seconds and produce an effort on goal within 10 seconds of winning the ball, with his belief being that it is easiest to score when opposition sides have just lost possession and have no time to reorganise.
The clock ticks down very loud so all the players can hear it and Rangnick believes it increases the intensity of sessions and it also helps to simulate match conditions.
United’s board are believed to have given the new interim manager the go ahead to install the clock at Carrington, with Rangnick having also been given access to old training ground footage to assess the state of the current squad.
