Shaw: Solskjaer has managed me right at United
LUKE Shaw admits he has matured at United with the help of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s man-management.
The left-back has enjoyed a brilliant individual campaign, putting in a string of consistent displays and earning a deserved recall to the England squad this week.
And in a wide-ranging interview Shaw, 25, explained the difference Solskjaer has made to his form and the United team as a whole.
The Norwegian is on course to lead the Reds to a second-place finish in the Premier League, while they are still in the Europa League.
For Shaw, Solskjaer’s tenure has prompted a dramatic turnaround, following a difficult spell for the former Southampton man under previous manager Jose Mourinho.
“I don’t want to come across like I was a little kid who could not deal with being put under pressure,” Shaw said about his struggles under Mourinho. “Because at a big club like Manchester United you are always going to be under pressure and under the spotlight. That makes you mentally stronger.
“But I had no confidence at that time. I was losing my belief.
“I think that is what changed with Ole. He managed me right and I got my confidence back and I am really enjoying it at the moment.
“Enjoyment and confidence. For me, they are the two biggest things you need on the pitch. You need that belief in your ability to perform at the highest level. “I feel I have that now.
“His man-management is second to none. The way he conducts himself in terms of how he speaks to the players, it gets the best out of them. You can see that. He deals with situations perfectly in terms of what is needed, especially at a big club like Manchester United.
“He takes the pressure off the lads and takes it all himself.
“Sometimes it is not fair because
we are the ones on the pitch and we need to take our fair share too.
“For me, especially, from what I had before Ole came in, it is a total difference. It has pushed me to a new level.”
Shaw also made an admission about winning the United player of the year prize in 2018/19. He was handed the Sir Matt Busby award that summer but believes his current form by far eclipses what he achieved two years ago.
He and Bruno Fernandes are likely to be the main contenders for this season’s award.
“I was nowhere near my best then. If I am honest, it was quite a poor season from everyone,” he added.
“Maybe I was just one of the ones who stood out a little bit more, but I was nothing special.
“Definitely now is the best period I have had. I have managed to sustain a run of games and keep playing. I am enjoying it and I think that is the most important thing that I wanted to get back, that enjoyment of football. Getting back to doing what I enjoy doing.”