Mike’s got Reds Phelan great
How return of Phelan has helped Solskjaer turn Reds around – United special
The high standards are returning and United are playing the way that United should Ciaran Kelly
NERVES. Mike Phelan was filled with them when he made that once-routine journey from Barrowford to Carrington for the first time in quite a while last month.
Phelan used to drive those 40 miles every day, popping his head round the door of Sir Alex Ferguson’s office to say, ‘Morning gaffer.’
The Scot always managed to get there before him at the crack of dawn.
But December 20 was the first time Phelan had made that commute, in a coaching capacity, for five-and-a-half years. That is a long time in football and Phelan had only previously worked with a handful of these United players before.
Those nerves soon disappeared, though. Everywhere he looked – whether it was in reception, the canteen or the dressing room – the 56-year-old found a familiar face smiling back at him: Cath, Mike the chef, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer...
Phelan has stayed involved with United – helping out with Michael Carrick’s testimonial and the Liam Miller tribute match – but he would never have expected to be back in a full-time coaching capacity with the first team again.
The United coach was lecturing at Burnley College the day Solskjaer emerged as the prime candidate to become United’s interim manager. In his final lecture, he spoke of his ‘dream job’ – coaching in front of 70,000 supporters again.
Phelan is living the dream alright and has played a big part in United’s recent resurgence alongside Solskjaer, Carrick, Kieran McKenna and Emilio Alvarez.
Solskjaer would be the first to say it has been a team effort and as much as he has given his players freedom on the field, he has encouraged his coaches to express themselves off it. Notice how active they are on the touchline?
The high standards are returning and United are playing the way United should. And the fans have started chanting again.
It should not come as a surprise. On that bench, you have got an exUnited captain, Sir Alex’s former right-hand man, a treble hero and a boyhood United fan. Oh, and David de Gea’s confidant and favourite goalkeeping coach.
De Gea is among those players who feel the ‘real Manchester United’ have returned and is it any wonder? These coaches understand the culture and traditions of the club, whether it is fast, attacking football or bringing through youngsters. The players have responded and have grown in belief with each win – they have yet to go behind under Solskjaer. What is particularly telling now is that when the players have an extended period working with these coaches on the training field, it is immediately paying off. Before the win at Spurs, for example, United worked on attacking drills in Dubai with Jesse Lingard playing in between the lines, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford playing as wide forwards and Paul Pogba as the man to play that killer pass. It worked a treat at Wembley in the 1-0 win.
In contrast, the frustration for Mourinho in his final months in charge was how a productive week at Carrington did not yield better performances.
Before the win at Bournemouth in November, for example, United had been drilled over six days and had the most intense warm-up of the season. Come kick-off, they choked and were lucky to only be 1-0 down after 11 minutes.
There have been no major changes to United’s warm-up – rondos were a big feature under Mourinho – but the players have huge smiles on their faces again.
The same goes for the coaches. The manner in which they mobbed Solskjaer after Rashford’s winner against Spurs tells you that and friendships are developing.
After the game, Solskjaer, Phelan, Carrick, McKenna and Alvarez were among the last to leave together in a tight-knit group, feeling 10 feet tall in their club suits. There could be some more special moments to come.