‘I was right’ – Ralf Rangnick doubles down on infamous Man Utd ‘open-heart surgery’ rant as he weighs in on Erik ten Hag’s current plight

Ralf Rangnick aimed a fresh dig at Manchester United as he claimed to be right about the club needing “open-heart surgery” two years on from his exit.

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    WHAT HAPPENED?

    Rangnick took charge of United on an interim basis during the 2021-22 season following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Although his tenure lasted just six months, Rangnick’s brief spell was marked by a candid and controversial assessment of the club’s internal struggles. Following a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield, the manager said: “The good thing, one of the few, is it’s crystal clear. You don’t even need glasses to see the problems. Now it’s only about how you can solve them. Not minor cosmetic things. This is an open-heart operation. If everyone realises this has to happen and works together, it doesn’t need to take years.”

    • THE BIGGER PICTURE

      Erik ten Hag has also been struggling to bring back the glory days at United, but a surprise victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final ultimately led to him being given a new contract. However, with United losing two of their opening three Premier League fixtures in 2024-25, including a demoralising 3-0 defeat at the hands of Liverpool at Old Trafford, Ten Hag finds himself back under intense pressure, which has led Rangnick to validate his earlier critique of the club.

      • WHAT RANGNICK SAID

        Speaking to TV2, the former Red Devils boss reaffirmed his belief that drastic changes were needed at United.

        “I probably made that statement when the season was almost over about two years ago,” Rangnick recalled.

        “It is probably only two or three weeks since Erik ten Hag was asked the same thing. Then he said that I was right in my analysis. I don’t know how many players they have signed since, but it looks like I was right.”

      • DID YOU KNOW?

        After his interim period ended, Rangnick had been due to stay on at Old Trafford in a consultancy capacity. However, his relationship with United came to an abrupt end in April 2022, when it was mutually agreed that Rangnick would not take up the new role. The German instead took over as the manager of Austria’s national team.

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        WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

        While Ten Hag’s appointment initially brought hope for a revival, the current challenges facing the club have renewed questions about the internal structures at United. The Dutch tactician will once again lead his troops on Saturday against Southampton in a Premier League fixture.