Ralf Rangnick confirms two appointments to his Man Utd staff

Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick has made two additions to his coaching staff at Old Trafford, appointing Chris Armas as a coach and Sascha Lense as a psychologist.

Rangnick has worked with both men before in his various roles with Red Bull.

Armas, a former United States international and MLS player with LA Galaxy and Chicago Fire, joined New York Red Bulls as an assistant coach while Rangnick was director of football at RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg. He was later promoted to NYRB head coach and worked under Rangnick when the German was placed in charge of the company’s global football operations.

Lense, meanwhile, worked at RB Leipzig for three years under Rangnick’s watch.

Confirming that he is happy for the existing coaching staff to remain in place, the temporary United boss explained his relationship with both new recruits ahead of Wednesday night’s Champions League clash with Young Boys at Old Trafford.

“It won't be that many [staff coming in]. So far I'm very happy to work with the staff I have met last week, and they gave me a lot of help in the last couple of days in preparation for the Crystal Palace game,” Rangnick explained.

He added, “Chris used to be the assistant coach at the New York Red Bulls under Jesse Marsch. That was five years ago, when I first met him.

“Since then we have met quite frequently. Also in my role as head of global for Red Bull in the last three-and-a-half years he was head coach for the New York Red Bulls and for Toronto in the MLS.”

Lense will help United players with the mental side of the game to improve performances.

“I worked with him for three years at Leipzig, in the year I won promotion from the second to the first division myself and the following two years when Ralph Hasenhuttl was head coach and Zsolt Low – the current assistant coach of Thomas Tuchel – was assistant coach,” Rangnick explained.

“We have known each other since then and he will be introduced to the team as soon as he's got his visa and work permit."

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