O’Shea’s sure of forward progress

BACKING: John O’Shea JOHN O’SHEA says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has passed his audition for the role of Man United manager – and is the right man to take the club forward.

The Reading defender won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup alongside Solskjaer before the Norwegian’s retirement from playing in 2007.

But O’Shea isn’t backing his old pal for the job out of loyalty and friendship. He’s doing it because he

he is the right man to lead United back to the top.

The ex-Ireland centre-half, 37, said: “He deserves it – not because he is a great man but because of how he has transformed the team.

“Right from the start he’s made United click again.

“Yes, people were saying the run of games were initially kind – but United weren’t winning those type of games beforehand.

“Everything Ole has done – dealing with injuries and suspensions, tactically spotting things, beating Arsenal and Tottenham away on the counter-attack, attacking weaker teams at home, coming from behind to knock PSG out of the Champions League – has been amazing.

“I would be stunned if he didn’t get the job.

“People have to make the distinction between Ole being a great fella – which he is – and the fact he is also a great manager.

“It is not as if he came back to the club and said, ‘I’ve played a few hundred games here, I’ve won a few leagues and cups, so I’m just going to click my fingers and it’s all going to be all right’.

“There’s a lot more to it. They have demanded quality and hard work in training. I think Ole said something about how you have to be strong, you have to be fit and you have to able to cope with it, otherwise you won’t survive at Manchester United. He’s proof of that.

“I’m sure if you asked all the players who they would want as the next manager I think there would be a clear winner. Every test set of him – he has passed with flying colours.”

And ahead of United’s game at Arsenal today, O’Shea says he still remembers standing in the Highbury tunnel when Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira went at it.

“That tunnel incident was something else,” he added.

“It said everything about Roy. He was there for us and backing us up. It was key for us in being so successful.”