Due to the responsibilities of his new position as Austria manager, Ralf Rangnick has opted not to take up a consultant post with Manchester United, the English football giants said on Sunday.
After Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was ousted in November, the German assumed leadership of United on a caretaker basis for the last six months of the just finished 2021/22 season.
Rangnick guided the club to a sixth-place finish in England’s top division with 58 points, their lowest total in the Premier League era, as they just missed out on a spot in the Europa League’s second tier.
The 63-year-old was scheduled to remain at Old Trafford in a consulting role for the next two years, but he was named the new manager of Austria last month, and it looks that juggling two jobs is no longer a possibility.
“We’d want to express our gratitude to Ralf Rangnick for his efforts as interim manager over the last six months,” a United statement added.
“Ralf will now concentrate completely on his new duty as manager of the Austrian national team, and will not be taking up a consultant role at Old Trafford, as agreed.”
“We wish Ralf all the best in the next phase of his career.”
Rangnick only informed the media nine days ago that he had spoken with new United manager Erik ten Hag about “all the numerous areas where I may possibly be of service.”
Rangnick’s consulting position, though, is “on the club,” according to Ten Hag.
United were knocked out of the Champions League in the last 16 by Atletico Madrid after losing in the fourth round of the FA Cup to Middlesbrough.
Rangnick’s team also failed to qualify for the Champions League, Europe’s best club tournament, for the following season.