The United of Ole
Solskjaer aims to replicate spirit of ‘99 at Old Trafford
LONDON: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (pic) hopes to replicate the spirit of Manchester United’s treble-winners at Old Trafford as he plots a route back to the top for the club.
Solskjaer, last month appointed as the permanent United boss, famously scored the injury-time winner in the Champions League final when Alex Ferguson’s United side won three trophies in 1999.
The Norwegian, preparing his side to face Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at home today, intends to build the side around the principles that worked so well 20 years ago.
“We challenged each other every day in training,” he told ESPN. “There were fights and there was an inner justice that I’ve not seen in too many teams.
“We never, ever accepted anyone being below par in training. We kicked each other and we had to win every single day. That moved over into games and we never gave in. There was an unbelievable team spirit.
“I want my players to really push each other and demand 100% attitude from each other every single day. That’s the only way you can improve and it’s the only way you can win.
“We had something special. It’s a different group now and the challenge is, ‘How can I make these players winners as we were?’”
United are currently sixth in the Premier League but are just three points behind third-placed Tottenham and are still in contention in the Champions League.
United are the underdogs for the Barcelona tie but Solskjaer, who oversaw a stunning comeback victory over Paris St Germain in the last round, is confident.
“We’re playing against a good team but there is something special about this group of players,” he said. “It will be fantastic.”
And the United boss is not worried that Manchester City could surpass United’s achievement in 1999 by winning a quadruple this season.
“United fans want us to win it
(the Champions League) because they want to win it,” Solskjaer said. “I think we should look at what we can achieve and not what we can stop others achieving.”
Solskjaer has given his creative players licence to attack, with
Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford let off the leash to devastating effect.
But some of the gloss has come off in recent weeks, with three defeats in four matches badly denting United’s chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League and dumping them out of the FA Cup.
They were unfortunate to lose at Arsenal but appeared short of inspiration in losing twice to Wolves in the FA Cup and Premier League, while even Solskjaer admitted they did not deserve their solitary win since he was given the permanent job as Watford enjoyed the betes ter of the chancin a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford. Solskjaer had a free ride when he took over from Mourinho, with morale at a low ebb and the club 11 points off the top four. Despite recent hiccups, he has had notable suchis cess in short time at the club and ultimately has his sights set higher than finishing in the top four.
“You’ve got to aim high,” he told ESPN. “You cannot aim too low at this club. You’ve got to aim to win titles.
“When I came back here as the manager I thought a lot about what makes a winWhat ning team. does it really take to win on the biggest stage? I’m not one to sit back, rest on my laurels.”
The 46-year-old will probably be forgiven if United fall short against a Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona.
But if he fails to reverse the minislump and United suffer a heavy defeat to the Spanish champions there is a danger the season could peter out and momentum could be lost.
Questions will be asked as to whether United were too quick to put their trust in a likeable leader and whether Solskjaer has the profile needed to bring in the top-level recruits that United need, particularly in defence, to become serious Premier League and European challengers again.
But he will lead his team out at Old Trafford today for their first Champions League quarter-final since 2014 with the same neversay-die attitude he had as a player.
“We’ve got a chance, it’s going to be a tough one. We’ve got a mountain to climb, but we’ve climbed a few mountains before,” said Solskjaer. — AFP