Solskjaer won’t settle – but he knows second is still progress
Ahead of Mourinho reunion, United may feel history repeating
AUGUST 2018 and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is back on British shores, north of the border, as Molde’s neverending slew of Europa League qualifiers continues against Hibernian.
The following day – deadline day – the mood at the Manchester United training ground is tense. Word has reached Jose Mourinho that intermediaries have failed to reach a compromise for Toby Alderweireld. He is dismissive of Ed Woodward’s boastful revelation of a meeting with Diego Godin’s sister, the United recruitment department has vetoed an approach for Jerome Boateng and Leicester have outpriced them for Harry Maguire.
Mourinho had presided over a second-place finish the previous season that he deemed ‘one of my greatest achievements.’ United were runners-up in the FA Cup final in a trophyless campaign marred by a scandalous Champions League elimination by Sevilla, mainly memorable for Mourinho’s ‘football heritage’ press conference three days later. Still, the United hierarchy felt the team’s trajectory was on the rise.
Then, as a senior club source put it, it was ‘death by a thousand cuts.’ Mourinho railed against the dithering in the transfer market and so despaired at the scouting operation he compiled his own analysis of central defensive targets. On a fraught pre-season tour of the United States, club captain Antonio Valencia was thrown under the bus, Anthony Martial went AWOL and youngsters were demeaned following the U23s’ relegation.
Mourinho analysed Paul Pogba’s World Cup form accurately and reasonably, but in a manner open to spin. Pogba wanted out of United and his relationship with Mourinho, already untenable, would worsen over the next four months.
It was in Edinburgh and the Easter Road press room where Solskjaer claimed he would ‘absolutely no doubt’ build a team around Pogba.
He was more dismissive of United’s first finish in the top two since Sir Alex Ferguson’s swansong season.
“Second place, yes, you’re back in the Champions League,” Solskjaer noted. “But I don’t think any of the Manchester United supporters, explayers or players are happy with second place. It should be top spot.”
That viral clip continues to circulate, for the irony is Solskjaer is striving to guide United to second now he is the manager. Like Mourinho, he has lifted the team from sixth and back into the Champions League, and views this season as progressive if United improve on their thirdplace position in 2019-20.
“We should never settle for second place at Man United and we will never settle for second place,” Solskjaer stressed on Thursday night when reminded of his comments nearly three years ago. “I think that’s the point here.
“We have seen the heights and we know what this club is capable of. I’ve been here for a little while myself and it’s taken time for us to
be in this position. Hopefully we can be better next season because this is below our ambitions.”
It was just over three weeks ago Solskjaer downplayed silverware. “Any cup competition can give you a trophy but sometimes it’s more of an ego thing for managers and clubs.” He did not need to specify which manager he was referring to.
The last trophies on display in the Old Trafford museum were on Mourinho’s watch and United lost seven knockout ties within two years under Solskjaer. They are favourites for the Europa League and it is hardly Solskjaer’s fault that victory in that competition would feel hollow compared with the 2017 triumph, with the raw emotion of the Manchester Arena attack still palpable.
United had to prevail in the Europa League to secure Champions League football that night, whereas this run-in is devoid of jeopardy.
“Sometimes a trophy can hide the other fact of what’s happening at the club,” Solskjaer remarked last month. “It’s in the league position you see if you’re progressing, really.” United have 14 more points after 30 games than they did last season.
Mourinho oversaw over similar progress, wasn’t backed and was then sacked, having earned an improved deal on the back of the domestic and European cup successes, his flirtation with Paris SaintGermain also spurring Woodward. Solskjaer has not been as successful and is not as in-demand, yet a new contract is inevitable even with 14 months left on his current deal.
“I want to be positive and happy to play against such a giant club, and such a good team,” Mourinho said on his Zoom call with the media on Friday. “It’s always difficult [to face a former club] but it’s always a good feeling to play against such a club with such a history.”
Mourinho’s winning mentality suited United but jars with successstarved Spurs, with two League Cups to cherish since they paraded the FA Cup around North London in 1991. The feeling is some of the players are unambitious and others fortunate to be playing for a team whose ribbons were on the European Cup handle at the start of the 2019 final. There is genuine concern over Harry Kane’s future.
Some United players are still in touch with Mourinho, who believes they will hold on to second and has acknowledged United have had a decent season. United will start and end Sunday in second, irrespective of the result – there is more riding on it for spiralling Spurs.
For United, it’s feeling like 2018 again.