On a summer’s night in Barcelona in 1999, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made history. With a dramatic injury-time winner for Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League Final against Bayern Munich, the “Baby-Faced Assassin” led the Red Devils to the treble: the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League. United are the only team in the history of English football to achieve this feat. Now, the world is asking one question: is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the wrong man for the job?
A Rough Situation
Fast-forward 19.5 years to December 2018, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is back at Old Trafford. He’s no longer baby-faced, but he hopes to inspire a new generation of United players to glory. With the likes of David de Gea, Anthony Martial, and Paul Pogba all unhappy right now, Solskjaer’s job seems to be to unite the dressing room as much as it’s about getting results. The biggest result will be maintaining Champions League status.
When Jose Mourinho’s side lost 3-0 to Tottenham at the beginning of the season, the warning signs were clearly there to be seen by all at the club. The pressure had been piling on Jose since Manchester City won the league last season. An appearance in the FA Cup final did little to help matters, as they lost to Chelsea.
Jose’s downfall was evident throughout the season. United have won only one league game each month this campaign. They’ve been humiliated by Liverpool, Tottenham, and Manchester City. The Red Devils were also eliminated by Derby County in the EFL Cup back in late September.
Manchester United currently sit sixth in the league, eight points away from Arsenal, 11 from the top-four, and 19 off the top. This is a stark contrast to United’s position this time last year. Although they were 11 points off the top after 17 games last year, there was a seven-point gap between United and dropping out of the top-four.
A Strange Decision?
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is far from experienced at the top-level of football. After retiring in 2007, Solskjaer remained as a striking coach for the season to earn his badges. He stayed in Manchester to coach the reserves from 2008-11. He also turned down the Norwegian manager’s position in this period. Solskjaer then moved to Molde. Having played at Molde before joining Manchester United, he was comfortable in the area. After winning the Norwegian league twice in three years, Solskjaer left for Cardiff City in 2014.
After Cardiff sacked Malkay Mackay, they were in a sticky situation at the foot of the Premier League table. He could only inspire them to win four league games, as they were relegated back to the Championship. Solskjaer was sacked a month into the following campaign, citing a “difference of philosophy” with owner Vincent Tan. It was proved that Solskjaer was the wrong man for the Cardiff job after only lasting 295 days. He tried to adapt to the Premier League with a more conservative style of play, but his constant chopping and changing compounded by strange January signings meant that he was unable to make an impact in South Wales.
In late 2015, Solskjaer returned to Molde. Despite the previous manager winning their first ever domestic double, Solskjaer was favored for the position. While Molde failed to win any silverware during Solskjaer’s second spell as manager, he solidified them as the next best team in the league after bitter rivals Rosenborg.
The Challenges Ahead
As the manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a huge task ahead of him. While he won’t be expected to win the Premier League, he has to remove the toxic atmosphere from the dressing room and lay the foundations for whoever the next permanent manager will be. This season, under Mourinho, the only guaranteed starter has been David de Gea in goal. The likes of Pogba, Lukaku, and Valencia were some of the most important players for Manchester United last season. They’ve been in and out of the starting 11 all season. Players such as Herrera, Matic, Pereira, Fred, and essentially every defender in the squad all seem to have ambiguous roles right now.
If United don’t win any silverware under him, it’ll be difficult for people to question if Solskjaer is the wrong man for the job. It’s nearly impossible to make an impact in just six months. However, what the fans want to see is progress. Narrowing the gap between United and the elite, as well as playing with an expansive style of football, will be imperative when judging Solskjaer as the coach.
Solskjaer has a relatively easy start to his reign in charge. The Red Devils face Cardiff, Huddersfield, Bournemouth, Newcastle, and Reading next. Their first challenge will be Tottenham in just under a month’s time. Solskjaer’s biggest challenge will be the Champions League, as Paris Saint-Germain play two legs against his side. If Solskjaer can work some more European magic and advance to the quarterfinals, he’ll instantly win over the Stretford End faithful.
Is He The Wrong Man For The Job?
While many fans and pundits will wonder if Solskjaer is the wrong man for the job, only time will tell. It can be difficult to gauge how good a manager is when they’ve never worked with such high-quality players. However, Solskjaer has a positive vibe about him. He’s had positive relationships with those around him, as player and coach. Lifting the morale of the players could be more important than any tactic that could be employed on the field.
What do you think?
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