Pep says pressure for Ole at United is double
PEP Guardiola says that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is currently suffering the agonies of every football manager – only doubled because he is at United.
The City boss expressed sympathy for his cross-town rival, who is under intense fire after the Reds lost 5-0 at home to a rampant Liverpool last weekend.
But he also warned that a continuation of ‘bad results’ was not survivable for the United manager.
Solskjaer’s job has come under extreme scrutiny, and Guardiola said that the Norwegian is getting it twice as bad as other managers simply because of the global status of the club.
Asked if he felt a little sorry for the United manager, who he will face on the sidelines a week tomorrow in the Manchester derby, Solskjaer said: “Of course.
“At United, everything that happens is doubled. The influence of them, like Liverpool, they are the greatest teams in England for many years.
“When it happens, their victories are double, defeats are double. Of course, it’s not a surprise.
“If I don’t have good results, I’ll be treated the same. Every manager. Nobody can survive bad results, no-one.
“So expectations are so high – at United, you have to win.”
Guardiola was not under huge pressure when he took over at City, as the expectations were not as high, and the spotlight not as bright but he says he felt the same heat when he took over at Barcelona in his first managerial role, the pressure of guiding a club expected to win major trophies on a regular basis.
“For a long time the team doesn’t win the Premier League, and they work to get results in terms of titles because their history demands it,” he said.
“When I took over Barcelona, I knew it. I had to win. Otherwise, another manager will be in this position.
“So I’m saying the most obvious things that everyone knows.
“And in that moment that it happened I’m pretty sure Ole is surrounded by people, family, the staff to be close to them and try to win the next game. There are no more secrets than that.”