Former Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick has responded to harsh criticism from Cristiano Ronaldo that he was "not even a coach" following their time together at Old Trafford.
Rangnick was one of the targets of Ronaldo's criticism in his bombshell interview with Piers Morgan, in which he accused Man United of betrayal and trying to force him out of the club. Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag was perhaps the most notable figure who Ronaldo condemned but his predecessor was also in the firing line.
Rangnick left the club in May after winning just 11 of his 31 games as interim boss, even though it had been agreed that he would continue at the club in a consultancy role for two years. However, this did not come to pass as Ten Hag wanted a fresh start at Old Trafford.
The interim coach had outlined his transfer advice to United during his stint in the Old Trafford dugout, which was ignored by the club. Notably, of the six players that Rangnick advised United to pursue, five were attacking players and three were out-and-out strikers; including Erling Haaland, Alvaro Morata and Dusan Vlahovic.
Rangnick prioritised United investing in their attack as he did not believe that Ronaldo, who celebrated his 37th birthday midway through the German's interim stint, was the solution to the side's problems in attack.
Ronaldo claimed in his explosive interview, which is being published in full this week, that he had never heard of the German coach prior to his appointment last year, saying: "If you're not even a coach, how are you going to be the boss of Manchester United? I'd never even heard of him."
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Rangnick is now the boss of the Austrian international side and while the team are not competing in this year's World Cup, they are preparing for November friendly matches against Andorra and Italy.
He was this Tuesday asked about Ronaldo's interview and the comments he made about him.
Rangnick is reported as saying by Kronen Zeitung, as cited by Sport Witness: "I'm the team boss of Austria's national team, it's not my job to judge that. (It's) the job of Manchester United and the sports journalists."
Rangnick's silence mirrors that of other figures who have come in for criticism from Ronaldo, including United and Ten Hag himself. The Portuguese superstar will feature for his nation at this month's World Cup, but he may well have played his final game for United.
