Solskjaer only too happy to be a hero this time

BRIAN MARJORIBANKS

OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER remains most famous for his stoppage-time winner for Manchester United in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich back in 1999. That goal led to Clive Tyldesley’s famous ‘And Solskjaer has won it’ proclamation during his commentary. Yet, while there is little doubting his influence on the result that famous night in the Nou Camp, the Molde manager insists he is due little credit for his side taking the Europa League scalp of Celtic at Aker Stadion in 2015. Arriving back in his native Norway three years ago after a brief and bruising spell in charge of Cardiff City, Solskjaer watched from the stands as Ronny Deila’s side were beaten 3-1. Now, the 45-year-old faces more Scottish opposition in the shape of Hibs in tonight’s Europa League return after a scoreless first leg in Edinburgh. And, should his side triumph, this time he’ll be happy to accept the plaudits... ‘Our first match against Celtic here in 2015 was actually my first game back in charge here after Cardiff — so don’t give me any credit for that one,’ said a smiling Solskjaer. ‘I put on a training session the day before the Celtic game then I just sat in the stands and enjoyed the match. We played some fantastic stuff that night. ‘But if we do manage to go through against Hibs then I will definitely have been a part of it! ‘In 2015, we went on to win the group, beating Celtic twice, but it’s now been three years since we have reached the group stage. ‘But that’s in our strategy plan and if we do it every three or four years then we are meeting this club’s goals.’ Molde go into the match high on confidence after thumping league leaders Brann Bergen 5-1 here on Sunday. Indeed, they have scored 16 goals in their last four matches at Aker Stadion. ‘The mood around the town is great — we’ve just beaten the league leaders 5-1,’ said Solskjaer, who hopes to play Erling Braut Haland tonight despite his star striker remaining in talks over a £9million move to Austrian side RB Salzburg. ‘It was the best we have played this season. Our confidence is growing at home because we know we can get goals from many places — from counter-attacking football and from set-pieces.’ Solskjaer admits there was a Scottish influence to the way his team played against Brann after his years spent under Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford. The Molde boss has been keeping in touch with his former manager, who is thankfully now on the mend after suffering a brain haemorrhage in May. ‘I’ve spoken to the gaffer recently and he seems to be in good health and in good spirits,’ he revealed. ‘He’s certainly not lost his sense of humour. ‘When I see the boys play the way they did at the weekend, that’s what I want because that’s the way I grew up under the Gaffer (Ferguson). ‘Back then it was: “Go out, express yourselves, show me your freedom and your quality and work hard”. ‘And against Brann we played good football and we ran our b ****** s off — and, yes, that does translate into Norwegian.’