LIVERPOOL manager Jurgen Klopp has sung the praises of Ralf Rangnick, who is expected to be announced as Manchester United’s new interim manager.
Klopp knew Rangnick back in Germany and the Liverpool boss put the fierce rivalry between the Reds and the Red Devils aside to highlight his compatriot’s attributes.
“I know him – but usually we don’t talk about things that are not confirmed yet!” Klopp joked during his pre-match press conference on Friday for the weekend clash against Southampton.
“If you tell me that will happen, I might believe you. Yeah… another good coach is coming to England, so that’s how it is.
“He’s a really experienced manager and built, famously, two clubs from nowhere into proper threats in German. He’s done a lot of different jobs but his first concern was always being a coach, actually.
“He’s very well regarded in Germany – and rightly so.”
Rangnick will be named as United’s interim manager until the end of the season, after which he will take up a consultancy role, according to various reports.
The 63-year-old German is currently the sporting director at Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow, but he built his reputation in Germany.
He handled Stuttgart, Hannover, Schalke and RB Leipzig in his native country with varying degrees of success.
Rangnick won the now defunct continental competition Intertoto Cup with Stuttgart in 2000 before leading Hannover to the German second-tier title in 2002.
His biggest achievements were at Schalke, whom he steered to German Cup triumph in 2011 and took to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in the same season.
He also led RB Leipzig to the German Cup final in 2019 and is credited to have had a hand in the success of Thomas Tuchel and Hansi Flick.
