'Where is the priority?': Gary Neville questions Rangnick's decision to take both Austria and United roles

"Where is the priority? There's a conflict there,” Gary Neville said when talking about Ralf Rangnick’s decision to take up the Austria manager role and continue the advisory role at Man United next season.

When asked if he can see it working, the ex-United captain added: “I don't see that. I don't see how that can work, you're a national team manager and I've worked under a national team manager, that national team manager has got to present week in, week out, Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday, Tuesday and he can't be here at Old Trafford every week watching an Austrian player play.

“I can't see how that's going to work, if it's something that's true. Maybe (it's a compromise) but it's messy, Manchester United can't afford at this moment to have distractions, can't afford at this moment in time to have a poor communications plan around the idea that Ralf Rangnick's our football consultant but he's seen watching German football three times a month then going coaching the Austrian team two times a month.

“That's not going to work because people are going to say 'hang on, who's in the director's box? What's Darren Fletcher doing? What's John Murtough doing? What's Ralf Rangnick doing wherever he's watching an Austrian player?

“I don't think they can afford that at this moment in time. Laser-focused, clear lines, people staying in their lines understanding what their roles are and actually communicating that to a fan base, this is a real change, this is different than it has been for the last 10 years.”

Rangnick has insisted that despite taking the Austria manager’s role, he is intent on doing well as an advisor for United and helping them compete at the very top going forward.

Ralf will end his stint at United’s interim manager at the end of the season and will be an advisor to Erik ten Hag going forward from next season.