I don’t mean that in a holistic sense, of course. He’s probably a lovely man, good to his wife, fun at dinner parties and an all-round stand-up sort of chap. But in a Manchester United context, why bother appointing Rangnick on a six-month hiding to nothing when Michael Carrick would have been perfectly capable of holding the fort until Mauricio Pochettino rides into town?

Let’s face it, this season is pretty much a write-off for United. The title has run away from them, the League Cup a distant memory, and does anyone really see them putting together a run of form good enough to win either the FA Cup or Champions League?

Highly unlikely.

But let’s say Rangnick figures out a way to get United playing consistently like a sum of their parts rather than a collection of individuals. Let’s say he manages to work some magic and win one of those trophies. How daft will United look at that point moving him upstairs as a ‘consultant’ to make way for someone who only brings with him potential?

However, put Carrick in charge and it would have been win-win. If he did well, then the club could have made a fuss about making him Pochettino’s assistant, saying he was a work-in-progress being groomed for the future. If he wasn’t massively successful, then it could either be written off as part of his learning curve or used as a reason to make a complete break with the past coaching team.

And let’s be honest, in just the one game against Villareal, Carrick showed he is more than capable of handling the first team. Although, to be fair, he couldn’t have done much worse than his predecessor.

I understand United’s temptation to appoint a ‘name’ because they obviously feel the season doesn’t have to be a complete failure. But I genuinely don’t see what Rangnick, with his total lack of Premier League experience, brings to the table that Carrick hadn’t already put on it.

I admire United for holding out for the man they think can lead the club the way they want it leading. That shows a little bit of forward thinking that hasn’t always been around. But I really think chucking Rangnick into the mix was an unnecessary complication.

Chucking Rangnick into the mix was an unnecessary complication

Unless, of course, that otherwise pointless ‘consultancy’ role is there as some sort of fallback giving them the chance to keep him as manager if he does well or if Pochettino proves beyond reach.

The plot thickens…

Barca on the brink

After last week’s games, most of Europe’s big boys have already qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

All four English clubs are through with a game to spare, as are the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and PSG. But there is one substantial name missing from that list – a little Spanish club called Barcelona.

If we needed any more proof that these giants of the game are going through some tough times, then surely it comes in the fact that they are in serious danger of failing to make the last 16 of Europe’s premium competition.

For the first time in two decades…

At face value, the Group F standings don’t look that ugly for Barca, who are currently sitting in second place behind all-conquering Bayern Munich, two points ahead of Benfica in third.

But that doesn’t take into account the fact that Barca’s final match is away to Bayern, while Benfica host bottom club Dynamo Kyiv. On paper at least, you expect both those games to be home wins, and that would send Barcelona packing.

If there is the slightest of silver linings to this cloud it is that you could say Bayern, who qualified about five games ago, don’t have a huge amount to play for in that last match.

But then again, having the opportunity to lay down a marker as the team that eliminated Barcelona in the group stage for the first time since 2001 may prove enough incentive for the Germans to go for the jugular.

And that would see the five-time European Champions relegated to the Europa League. I’m sure they would cope with that level of embarrassment…

Give fans some real power

A fan-led review of English football has concluded that an independent regulator has to be put in place to knock some common sense back into the sport. And I couldn’t agree more, because over the course of the past few years football has proved, time and time again, that is it is utterly incapable of regulating itself.

The review, carried out by former sports minister Tracey Crouch, has come out with a whole host of suggestions aimed at stopping football lurching from one crisis to another.

Apart from the idea of the regulator, one of my other favourite proposals from this review is the idea of Premier League clubs paying a solidarity transfer levy – essentially a transfer tax – to support the football pyramid. This would ensure all the silly spending that takes place in the top flight is at least of some additional benefit to clubs further down the leagues.

Another great idea is that clubs should have a ‘shadow board’ made up of fans who would then need to be consulted on key decisions. Not only that, but the proposals also include the idea of supporters having a “golden share” to protect their club’s heritage and give them ultimate control over things like which leagues and competitions they play in.

All in all, this is a fantastic bunch of proposals, and I think the Premier League, the FA, the Football League and everyone else involved in the sport needs to get behind them.

Football needed a root and branch shake-up, and Crouch has provided the sport with the opportunity to do just that. The English government must do whatever it takes to makes these proposals legally binding. It is the very least that the fans – always the last group in a club’s thoughts – deserve for their unswaying loyalty.

E-mail: James@quizando.com

Twitter: @maltablade