Baby-faced Ole resists the role of assassin as he silences growing critics
AS Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stood in a wide but deserted corridor at the Linzer Stadium, ready to grab his bags and depart for the flight back to Manchester, he was given the chance to massage his own ego on the back of United’s 11-game unbeaten run.
His team had just put LASK to the sword in the Europa League last-16 first leg and the Reds boss was speaking to a huddle of reporters about the club’s progress in the previous couple of months.
It’s not all been slaps on the back for Solskjaer this season. On a couple of occasions he’s been under pressure and opinion, among social media supporters at least, has rarely been positive.
But suddenly United look a side transformed, through some astute January signings and an increasingly confident style of play. Given they remain – in theory, given the season is now suspended – in two cup competitions and well in the hunt for a top-four finish, it could yet turn out to be a good campaign.
This was the perfect opportunity for Solskjaer to settle a few scores with those who have questioned him this season. He was asked if he’d been “p ***** off” at some of the criticism this season, but rather than get his retaliation in, the Norwegian kept his baby face smiling and decided against being the assassin.
“I am confident enough in myself not to be p ***** off with that, not to worry about what anyone else thinks,” he said. “Why should I concern myself with that? And why should I start talking about myself? That is just not me. I hope I will never get to that.
“I just want the players to be out there expressing themselves and
playing football in the way they want.”
Not many of Solskjaer’s Premier League counterparts could have resisted the opportunity to praise themselves while knifing their critics in the back, but then that lack of ego has always been a character trait.
It was what helped United get the best out of Solskjaer the player, he was fiercely ambitious but also self-aware enough to know his best role was sometimes off the bench in a team racking up titles and medals at a mighty rate.
Now as a manager his sole focus is on improving the players and, as a result, the team. Solskjaer isn’t interested in platitudes about how well he is doing now, or what people were saying when things weren’t going as well. He’s focused on the bigger picture.
It’s this kind of approach that has united United’s players behind him.