Ralf Rangnick is dealing with a problem at Manchester United never faced by his most famous predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson.
That’s the view of ex-Red Devils striker Dimitar Berbatov, who says any training ground resentment must be stamped out quickly.
Rangnick was hired as United’s interim boss at the end of last year, tasked with seeing United through a transition period following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's dismissal.
And although results have somewhat steadied under his leadership, there have been growing reports of players becoming disillusioned by his methods.
When the German tactician was hired, he also brought with him American coach Chris Armas, with suggestions players have been less than impressed with the sessions put on.
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There have also been a number of training ground leaks in recent months, painting a picture of a divided squad that is increasingly unhappy with the current situation.
The heavy defeat by Manchester City last time out has heaped more pressure on not only the players but on Rangnick’s suitability for the role.
Asked how his old United boss would have reacted to the growing resentment behind the scenes, Berbatov told Mirror Football: "I don’t know because we never had something like this.
"We always knew the training sessions, the coaches that were going to take them and I don’t remember anyone moaning about a training session.
"Everything was strictly made for the players so they knew how to perform, they would even ask us how the training sessions should go.
"I read that players are not happy with the training methods and this is a problem. If you go to the training sessions and you’re not smiling, you’re not enjoying what you are doing, then you’re not going to perform well, that’s for sure. If there is any truth to that, they need to find the solution."
Rangnick arrived at Old Trafford having spent a number of years working consultancy roles - something he is scheduled to do at United from this summer.
But that is not to say he didn’t land in English football with a glowing reputation, with the likes of Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel citing him as a guru.
However, the United post is unquestionably the biggest of his managerial career and Berbatov has urged the 63-year-old to consult with those closest around him, in order to arrest the negative perception of the experience at Carrington.
The Betfair ambassador added: “Rangnick, as I’ve said before - although he has a reputation in the world of football - he has never managed a club like United, so sometimes that can be an issue as well.
“I hope that the coaching staff around can help him solve this situation because if you’re not happy going into a training session, it’s not going to be good for the players.”
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