FC Schalke and beyond [edit]
After missing out on the assistant role in the German national side to Joachim Löw, Rangnick was hired by FC Schalke 04, after Jupp Heynckes left just weeks into the 2004–05 season. Rangnick again tasted European action as the club had earned a UEFA Cup spot via the Intertoto Cup. He led them through the group phase, but they exited in the knockout rounds to Shakhtar Donetsk. The DFB-Pokal was to prove more successful though, as Rangnick took the club to the final, where they fell 2–1 to Bayern Munich. Bayern would also pip Rangnick's side in the league as Schalke ended as runners-up.
The next season started well with Rangnick gaining revenge over former club VfB Stuttgart by beating them 1–0 to lift the Ligapokal. Their second place league finish of the previous year had also qualified them for the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League, Rangnick's first entry into the prestigious competition. However, the team would fail to progress beyond the group stage, and sat 10 points off the pace in the Bundesliga, as well as having crashed 0–6 in the DFB-Pokal to Eintracht Frankfurt. Shortly before the winter break, these factors forced the club to dismiss Rangnick.
Rangnick had to drop down the divisions for his next club, as he moved to 1899 Hoffenheim of the Regionalliga South for the 2006–07 season. Again, he proved himself adept at this level, as the team instantly won promotion and played the 2007–08 season in the 2. Bundesliga for their first time in their history. The stay in the 2. Bundesliga was short: a second-place finish for Hoffenheim in 2007–08 has earned the club, and Rangnick, promotion to the Bundesliga for the 2008–09 season.
On 1 January 2011, Rangnick resigned as head coach of Hoffenheim, citing the sale of Luis Gustavo to Bayern Munich, of which he had not been informed, as his reason for resigning from the club.[2][3]
In March 2011, Rangnick was named as the replacement for Felix Magath as manager of Schalke. Just weeks after being named the new Schalke manager, Rangnick led his old club to their first UEFA Champions League semi-final by defeating holders Internazionale with a 7–3 win on aggregate.
On 22 September 2011, Rangnick stepped down as Schalke's manager due to exhaustion syndrome, stating that he currently does not have "the necessary energy to be successful and to develop the team and the club".[4]
Since June 2012, Ralf Rangnick is the Sports Director for both FC Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig.
