His future, though, was in doubt from the moment Rangnick arrived, as his defensive style and lack of high pressing was not suitable for the new concepts that were being introduced. Marko Nikolic was a popular coach with Lokomotiv followers, and generally considered a very hard working and honest manager.

It was not just with the playing staff where Rangnick made unpopular decisions, either. Lokomotiv also paid Moscow rivals CSKA hefty sums for unproven midfielders Konstantin Maradishvili and Nair Tiknizyan, as pundits commented that Rangnick's strategy in the transfer market was both needlessly expensive and risky. The list of summer signings, meanwhile, included French midfielder Alexis Beka Beka from Ligue 2 outfit Caen and Dutch winger Gyrano Kerk from Utrecht, both of whom cost €6m (£5m/$7m) each. The Poland international was bought by Lokomotiv's direct rivals Krasnodar for just €2.5 million (£2.1m/$2.8m) in early August, and is enjoying a strong season, with four goals to his name so far. Rangnick's first unpopular decision after his appointment in July was selling midfield stalwart Grzegorz Krychowiak against the player's wishes. On Monday, they were soundly thrashed 3-1 by lowly Arsenal Tula.

Rangnick is being blamed for dismantling a decent team that was fairly functional last season, finishing third so as to qualify for Europa League, while also winning the Russian Cup.īut following a major summer overhaul, they are now 11 points behind leaders Zenit after just 16 matches, having won just two of their last nine fixtures.

Hugo Ekitike: Europe's top teenage goalscorer out to emulate Mbappeĭmitry Selyuk, the provocative agent best known for representing Yaya Toure, compared Rangnick to Ostap Bender, the most famous fictional crook in Russian literature.Ĭountless jokes and memes have been spread far and wide, leaving Lokomotiv to be laughed at mercilessly by rival supporters.

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Most journalists and fans are outraged by the apparent damage the German tactician did to the club, only for him to then suddenly leave so as to take the interim manager's job at Manchester United.Īs described by Sergey Kolesnikov of, some claim that Rangnick's tenure has been 'the biggest fraud in Russian football history'.

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