YOUNG, GIFTED, & BACK
Solskjaer’s rebuild is paying dividends as promising stars return
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER has revealed Manchester United’s rebuilding strategy has put them ahead of the curve as the Premier League gears up for the big kick-off.
And the United boss admits he’s more excited than he has ever been about his emerging young team who are straining at the leash for Project Restart after three months of lockdown.
With Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford fit again after long-term injury, the Old Trafford boss insists United are looking more like the teams Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson produced with each passing day as they prepare to face Tottenham on Friday.
And he believes United’s recent policy of ditching high-profile, bigmoney stars like Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez to buy ambitious players and promote homegrown talent has given the club a dynamic, future-proof feel.
Exciting
“Yes, we’ve been building a young, exciting, positive team at this club because that’s what our fans want to see,” said Solskjaer.
“As coaches we want to see that too. The staff here have the Man United DNA in us as well as the players – and this team is looking more and more like a United team.
“Now, though, it’s the time to start getting results. We can talk about potential all day long – we need to get results as well.
“But I feel very encouraged by the signs of the team and now when you have everyone more or less fit coming to work and to training every day you can see the potential of this group.
“We have seen some of it in training. Now it’s up to everyone to get it going on the real competitive stage.
“It’s exciting and I feel very privileged to coach all these players. They’ve been great and the club too – we have proven that with the signings we have made.
“And it shows we are thinking long term as well.”
United fans are genuinely excited about a midfield partnership of Pogba and £47million January signing Bruno Fernandes supplying fast-paced Rashford in attack. But Solskjaer reckons United have a squad who are all capable of a starring role.
“That’s for the fans to be excited about but I’m thinking about the whole group not just three players.
A team is more than 11 and definitely more than three so we are going to have to rotate and give players a chance to get into the team and the team’s chemistry.
“Of course, good players playing together is important but I’m not going to jump on any bandwagon. We need to get started and up to speed straightaway and start getting the team performances up to scratch quickly.”
Unbeaten
Before football was shutdown by the coronavirus pandemic in March, United were football’s form team, unbeaten in 11 games winning eight and drawing three in all competitions.
That run included two victories over Manchester rivals City in the Premier League and
EFL Cup as well as a 2-0 away win at Chelsea, also in the League.
But although that momentum has been broken – the return of
Pogba and Rashford is a huge boost, says Solskjaer.
“This break has given them players a chance to catch up. Of course, Paul and
Marcus were not fit when lockdown started so for those two especially it’s given them a chance to catch up and even go past where they might have been.
“The same goes for Scott
Mctominay and
Eric Bailly who had been out a little while.
Hungry
“They have been hungry to play football and the more desperate you are the more you make sure you are ready when it starts again.”
While Solskjaer is delighted football is heading back – he’s sad it won’t be in front of fans.
He said: “Football is for the supporters. We will miss them being in the stadium. The last thing we did more or less before the lockdown was to play at Old Trafford.
“Scott Mctominay’s goal against City in the 96th minute was special and we want to recreate that passion and excitement at some point.”