Rangnick encourages CR7 advice; explains Rashford selection

Matt Stead
Marcus Rashford and Cristiano Ronaldo

Ralf Rangnick wants Cristiano Ronaldo and the rest of his Manchester United squad to share advice.

In a wide-ranging interview released this week, Ronaldo expressed the need for a different approach at Old Trafford, saying “it’s not that easy to change the mentality of players and the way they play, the culture, the system like that”.

“The mature players, the older players can always help the young players,” Ronaldo added. “But, I can give you an example, if I give you advice, even if you are younger than me and if you don’t implant that in a daily life it will be difficult.”

Discussing the comments, Rangnick supported the idea that the players should speak to each other more.

“We have so many top, talented players and, again, it brings me back to what Cristiano said,” he told a pre-match press conference.


Manchester United have uniquely high expectations of young players


“We have to work and develop as a team together and if it’s necessary to speak in a very direct manner to the boys it helps a lot, even in the locker room.

“If Cristiano, for example, or any of the other players address that to the players directly on the pitch or in the locker room, they are more than welcome to do that.

“I will do that myself as a coach with my coaching staff in the pre- or post-match video we do with the team and on the pitch.

“But we can only develop individual players if we develop the performances of the team. This is the only way.

“This is about results, getting good results, which will raise the confidence level and then we can also develop the players individually. It doesn’t work the other way around.”

Rangnick also discussed the plight of Marcus Rashford, who is enduring a difficult season that has produced just three goals in 15 games.

“I was not a striker myself as a player, but as a striker it’s all about playing well, scoring goals and getting assists,” Rangnick said. “And if that does not happen over a period of time it is not so easy.

“As long as he’s trying to give his very best and he did that in training, there were quite a few training sessions in the last couple of weeks where he trained on a really high level and that’s why I always gave him the chance to play again.

“As long as he does that he will always be on my list to play and be in the starting XI.

“Of course it’s about showing that on a regular basis and continuously playing on a high level and again for him, as one example, there is still space for improvement.”