GET UP OFF THE FLAW
Punch drunk Solskjaer vows to do a Tyson Fury and bounce back from the brink of a knockout
OLE Gunnar Solskjaer has vowed to do a Tyson Fury and haul himself off the canvas from the brink of a knockout.
Solskjaer has been taking punches all week in the wake of Manchester United’s humiliating 5-0 home defeat to Liverpool that left him clinging to the ropes for dear life.
It remains to be seen if the Norwegian has the nous, spirit and skill to save himself like Fury (right) did in Las Vegas last month, when he got off the floor to beat Deontay Wilder to retain his WBC world heavyweight title.
With the exception of the United board, most people believe Solskjaer is punch- ing above his weight as manager of one of the world’s biggest clubs. Somehow he has survived the sack this week, but executive vicechairman Ed Woodward has made it clear to Solskjaer that he needs to engineer some positive results in his next two games, starting with tonight’s Premier League showdown with Tottenham.
Solskjaer has been here before but managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat – and has backed himself to come out swinging once again.
He said: “Of course, you have to hold your hands up and that performance is not acceptable. We have to look at why it was not acceptable.
“I use the analogy – it felt like we were a boxer being punch drunk, getting knocked down in the first minutes or the first round.
“You see Tyson Fury when he gets knocked down a few times, it’s remarkable how calm and composed his is when he is on the floor, he counts to six, seven or eight and then he gets up and he is ready to go again. We need a reaction and it’s my job to put the players in the right frame of mind. I’m responsible for the reaction, result, performance.
“I’ve been through some very bad moments as a player here and when I’ve been a manager I’ve dealt with setbacks. There have been two or three crises at least since I became manager and one thing I can say is I’ll always give it a good shot and fight back.
“When you come in for criticism like you do, you come into the trenches with your team-mates, that’s the reaction, whatever this club has been through before, it’s courage, self-belief, sticking together – and this group has done.”
Solskjaer needs some positives to cling to in his hour of need – and can find one in the fact he was part of the United side that produced one of the greatest comebacks in top-flight history when they beat Spurs 5-3 at White Hart Lane two decades ago.
United were 3-0 down at the break, but showed the sort of battling spirit and character Solskjaer will need from his current crop this weekend if he is to avoid taking one step closer to the chop.
The manager admits the loss to Liverpool will haunt him for decades to come, but even this hasn’t persuaded him to seek the backing of his club bosses.
He added: “That game is such a dark moment and it will be in the history books for a long spell, so it’s even more important that we learn from it, put things right and make sure we’re ready for the next one.
“I’ve had communication with the board and I don’t expect them to come and give me assurances.
“When you have a performance and a spell like we’ve had, that’s not what I call about and say.
“My job is to put things right and that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m not here to ask for assurances.”