"I'm not going to coach Ronaldo into how to score a goal" - Mike Phelan suggests Manchester United work on their strengths and not weaknesses in coaching sessions

Manchester United first-team coach Mike Phelan has lifted the lid on his coaching techniques. The former Red Devils player serves as first-team coach under Ralf Rangnick.

His duties entail overlooking multiple training sessions at Carrington, United's training center. Speaking to The Athletic at a coaching demonstration back in November, Phelan talked about his coaching philosophy as well.

He said:

"The first thing is they have ability, but sometimes you’ve got to really, really break it down to get it out of them. I’ve always been a believer in working on strengths, not weaknesses.

"People will say: ‘He’s not good at this, he’s not good at that’. But they’re not at the level they’re at because of those things. They’re at the level they’re at for what they’re good at."

The Manchester United coach took the example of Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford to explain his idea. He said:

"I'm not going to coach (Cristiano) Ronaldo into how to score a goal. He scores goals. I’m not going to show (Marcus) Rashford how to run because he can run already. But what I’m trying to do is give them an understanding of why they are doing those things.

"There is a reason Rashford has to run to get in the box. There is a reason we supply Ronaldo with the ball. All that as a coach comes into the way you think about the practices.”

Phelan also spoke about what entails the job of a coach.

"Match day is what everybody sees. But on the practice ground is where it all happens, the place where the coaches have to come into their own. Sometimes it’s coaching, sometimes it’s advice, sometimes it’s just getting a little bit more out of them. Sometimes it’s not about coaching, it’s about letting them express themselves."

He added:

"There are various set-ups. I’ve done it many times when there have been young players who step into a big group, and they just do it, they surprise you. So then you don’t have to step in and coach, you let them go. It’s getting that understanding of, ‘What are you there for as a coach?’. You’re there to assist them to get to the level they need to be at."

Manchester United undergoing change in coaching structure at Old Trafford

Manchester United hired Ralf Rangnick as their new boss in December. If there is one thing the German coach is known for, it is his coaching discipline.

He is a firm believer in his coaching ideologies and they are likely to prove very different from his predecessor's (Ole Gunnar Solskjaer) style at the club.

Rangnick's new training methods at Manchester United have already been addressed by several squad members. Some have also revealed that the club are in a transition state as they learn about their new style of play at Manchester United.

The Red Devils have not had the best of seasons so far as they find themselves languishing in seventh place in the Premier League. United play Aston Villa twice next week, once in the FA Cup and then next in the league.