The German newspaper \u201eS\u00fcddeutsche Zeitung\u201c calls him an “interdisciplinary football designer, trainer, sports director, player discoverer, trainer discoverer, optimizer.” He is into \u201ereal football”, builds on good networks and has a bit of a control freak when he says sentences like: \u201eYou want to minimize the factor coincidence in football by planning.\u201c<\/p>\n
That was the case, for example, with the German club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, where he was able to let off steam, to experiment in a controlled manner and to be far more than “just” a coach. After that important episode in his career, he went to the city of Leipzig to train the club FC Leipzig, where he also left his footprint.<\/p>\n
Despite his full speed life, today, he is much more attentive than he was ten years ago. At that time, he had to realise that he was only human and not some kind of energiser who could go on forever. He faced a burnout so that in September 2011, a “completely exhausted” Ralf Rangnick explained his resignation as coach at the German club FC Schalke where he was coach at the time. He desperately needed a break and wanted to “learn to take good care of himself”. For too long, he had forgotten to think of himself and his health. Acquaintances call him a “workaholic”, having asked way too much of himself for a long time. Later on, he started to talk about those tough times. He frankly explained that despite going on holiday twice during the summer break, there was no recuperation effect. When he went to the training camp after the holidays, he still felt exhausted and even though he loved this part about his coaching job, it all felt like too much. Only will and discipline made him survive. He then realised that it was time for a break. “I had no other choice,” he said.<\/p>\n
After a game, a hearty meal with two wheat beer was not uncommon. His blood and hormone levels turned out to be correspondingly poor and, just as he did on the football field, as usual, he gradually began to change his life to “healthy”. That included, in particular, regular mealtimes and energy-yielding diets with low carbohydrates, plenty of vegetables and fruits as well as water and proteins.<\/p>\n