Rangnick exclusive: On the cult of the manager, transfers and taking on Klopp

For a man that has been obsessed with English football since 1979, when he turned out for non-League Southwick while enrolled at the University of Sussex, not much has staggered Ralf Rangnick since taking interim charge of Manchester United. 

He has been unnerved, however, by the hard-wired portrayal here of a manager as an all-powerful, all-knowing miracle worker.

The seduction to believe in a messianic figure is perhaps most pronounced at Old Trafford, owing to the seismic achievements and influence of Sir Alex Ferguson's 26-year spell.

It has significantly shaped the club's floundering since his retirement, with United held siege by the past as Tuesday's opponents Liverpool and neighbours Manchester City were built into intelligent modern bastions.

Even still, there is a tendency to credit Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola in totality for the successes of their teams, despite both tacticians stressing the importance of the people and practices behind the scenes.

And with United on the verge of appointing Ajax's Erik ten Hag as their next permanent manager, Rangnick has reminded that an awful lot more needs to change than the face in the dugout if they hope to eventually rival Liverpool and City.

"In Germany we have a head coach and then there is usually a minimum of two skilled people continuously in the club on a longer-term basis responsible for recruitment, scouting and any daily operation," he told Sky Sports News.

"They also bring in the right and best possible head coach for the team. This still hasn't got a big tradition here and so the job of a sporting director or director of football - only a few clubs have that.

"I know that for the future, and I think even more so for a big club like Manchester United, you