Now in charge of the Austrian national team, Ralf Rangnick is best remembered for his caretaker manager spell at Manchester United – but he once revealed that the Football Association (FA) had interviewed him for the England job. But why, after a poor Euro 2016, did the governing body appoint somebody else?
Rangnick claiming that the Red Devils were in need of ‘open-heart surgery’ is a quote that will follow him around – but he’s a very intelligent figure in the world of football. Known as the ‘Godfather of the Gegenpress’, the German tactician has been highly influential.
Never the greatest player during his career, Rangnick found his forte in working in a more senior role – and, since retiring in 1988, has taken on a plethora of roles from manager to sporting director. But, despite being interviewed nine years ago, England boss cannot be added to his vastly impressive CV.
Why Ralf Rangnick Was Turned Down by England In 2016
'After the Euros, he called me again and asked if I would come for an interview for the England job'
It was in 2016, following a chastening loss to Iceland at the European Championships, when England – namely, FA technical director Dan Ashworth – were looking for someone to steady the ship: the wily Roy Hodgson was gone, and they needed someone new.
Speaking to FourFourTwo in 2017, the ex-RB Leipzig mastermind insisted that Ashworth first made contact in 2012 when West Bromwich Albion were looking for a new manager. “Dan first contacted me in 2012 and invited me to an interview at West Brom. He offered me the job, but I knew he was probably going to join the FA, so I turned it down,” he said.
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Ashworth retained an interest in his know-how and re-contacted him four years later amid England’s managerial mess and so, when the FA began their search to find a successor for Hodgson, Rangnick’s name came to the fore, and he was interviewed for the post.
Rangnick – who recommended Manchester United to sign the likes of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez – did not land what some people call the most difficult job in football because the FA were, realistically, looking to appoint another Englishman.
"After the Euros, he called me again and asked if I would come for an interview for the England job. I said: 'How realistic is that?' He said that, if it was up to him, it would be very realistic, but that there were some other people on the board who thought it should be an Englishman. Of course, that's normal.”
Sam Allardyce – an Englishman, of course – was appointed instead of the trailblazer, and he lasted the solitary game in the Three Lions dugout before getting the boot after reportedly giving players advice on how to ‘get around’ rules on transfers.
“Three days after I went for the interview, they informed me that Sam Allardyce would be taking over as manager,” Rangnick concluded.
Gareth Southgate then took charge for a 102-game, eight-year period between 2016 and 2024 before Thomas Tuchel – just the third non-Englishman to take charge of the Three Lions – succeeded Southgate, whose side fell at the last hurdle, again, at Euro 2024.
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