Rangnick

How Pep Ruined Germany (And Why It’s Not His Fault)

Published on June 30, 2026June 30, 2026 by Martyn GreenLeave a comment

The downfall of German football has been remarkable to watch.

When Die Mannschaft won football’s ultimate prize in 2014, it was the culmination of a process that had taken over a decade, and looked set to compete at the top of the game for years to come. The majority of that squad were just hitting their peaks, and had at least one, if not two, World Cup cycles left in them. Of those who didn’t, Per Mertesacker was already in the process of being replaced, losing his place in the team when Mats Hummels regained fitness, and Toni Kroos was ready to step up and replace Bastian Schweinsteiger. Then there was Philipp Lahm, whose retirement did cause chaos and confusion until the rise of Joshua Kimmich, in many ways a neo-Lahm, in 2016. The future of German football looked set, which was worrying for the rest of the world.

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Dedushka: The Forgotten Football Pioneer

Published on August 1, 2022November 7, 2023 by Martyn Green

There are some things that every football fan just knows. Sir Alf Ramsey, faced with a lack of effective wing-backs, converted his side into a new formation and invented, for the first time, the 442. Arsene Wenger, as a young manager at Monaco, revolutionised the fitness and recovery of football players in a way that has been adopted by pretty much every professional club in the world. And counter-pressing, “heavy metal football”, was invented in Germany by Ralf Rangnick, and passed through to Jurgen Klopp. Unquestioned truths of the game. But, as Mark Twain said, “it ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”

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The Professor: Why Ralf Rangnick could lead a Revolution at Manchester United

Published on November 25, 2021March 11, 2022 by Martyn Green

“The Revolution wasn’t only televised, it was broadcast live.” This is how Uli Hesse introduces new Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick in his book Tor! The Story of German Football. It is a good way of thinking about the former Schalke and RB Leipzig boss, and as with any revolutionary, he was initially met with scepticism, scorn and savagery by the establishment he planned on usurping. After all, the highlight of Rangnick’s playing career might well have been turning out for Southwick in Sussex County League while he studied in Brighton. Who’s laughing now?

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