Get off the Ole bandwagon – Solskjaer is only a backstop
Indebted to hero Banks
BEWARE of bandwagons. It is a notice which should be pinned on the wall of every club boardroom in football – and a message imprinted on the heart of every supporter. Bandwagons, like the one that has been hurtling Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to become the full-time manager of Manchester United, are so often a carriage to disaster.
And the noisier they become, the more sceptical we should be.
Solskjaer’s time so far as interim manager at Old Trafford is a classic example of the bandwagon effect.
He has performed exactly the job that was demanded of him – sweeping away the negative atmosphere that had enveloped the club, winning a succession of matches against lower and mid-table opposition, and creating hope of a top-four finish.
As honeymoon periods go it could hardly have been bettered, and so the bandwagon was set rolling.
An army of modern TV pundits, who assess everything with short-term blinkers, declared that Solskjaer should instantly be given the United manager’s job on a permanent contract.
They were rushing him into the role even before the first major test of a Champions League second-round clash at home to Paris St-Germain. Why wait, they roared.
The answer came with a dismal performance against PSG to set alongside a 2-0 defeat, the first time in United’s history they had lost by two goals at home in a European knockout tie. A reality check was the noisy cry. No, sorry, reality was there all along. It was just ignored.
The reality, the heart of the matter, is that if Solskjaer’s previous work in football management had made him a prime candidate to be the new permanent boss of Manchester United, he would have been given the job. It did not.
Working for the last three years in a relative outpost of football with Molde in the Norwegian league is not a stepping stone to one of the most demanding and prestigious jobs in the world of football. It simply isn’t.
You could see that as United struggled so badly against PSG the other night. Solskjaer had no means of changing the dynamic of the match, never mind the outcome. Compare that with the transformation of Tottenham at half-time by manager Mauricio Pochettino in their Champions League match at home to Borussia Dortmund – his crucial tactical adjustments made all the difference. I was not surprised by these contrasting matches. They followed logic rather than sentiment.
They also put into perspective a claim made earlier this month by Solskjaer about his work thus far at Old Trafford. “It is easier here because I know what the DNA and identity of Manchester United is, and what a Manchester United player is,” said the former striker.
When someone talks about DNA in football, it’s time to be deeply sceptical again.
Arsene Wenger had no connection to Arsenal before he became manager. When he arrived he completely changed the style of play and internal workings of the club to deliver success.
Pochettino had no previous connection to Spurs. He has significantly altered the mentality of the team, forging resilience where once they were known for flakiness.
Pep Guardiola had no history with Manchester City before joining them, and he has instilled a fabulous playing style that many considered to be impossible in the Premier League.
DNA at football clubs is for sentimentalists. What makes a great team is the direction given by brilliant managers to a group of excellent players. The manager’s philosophy and work is crucial.
So, where do Manchester United stand now with a crucial long-term appointment to be made after years of decline following the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson?
Too little time was given to David Moyes, a view aired by Peter Schmeichel last week, and one I happen to share. Too much time was allowed to Louis Van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, who turned out to be yesterday’s men as the club drifted.
Now? Well, now they require a high-class manager of the current day. Top of their shortlist, quite correctly, is Pochettino.
He has been outstanding at Spurs, particularly during the past 12 months with a zero-transfer budget and the club camping at Wembley while their new stadium is delayed and delayed. If the Argentine is willing to move to Old Trafford in the summer, the matter is settled. If not, then the net spreads, probably towards Max Allegri of Juventus and England manager Gareth Southgate – two men who have prospered in high-profile and high-pressure jobs.
Whatever the riders on the bandwagon think, and however well Ole Gunnar Solskjaer does for the rest of the season, he is what he has always been – the backstop option.
And if he ends up being the next permanent manager, it will be confirmation only that the status of Manchester United in the world game has dipped alarmingly. THE floodtide of affection and tributes for Gordon Banks after his death last week came not just here in England but from all around the world.
Pele led the way, and there were wonderful and moving messages from many others like Gianluigi Buffon and Diego Maradona.
It was to acknowledge two facts about our superstar.
One is that England’s 1966 World Cup hero was one of the finest goalkeepers in history, probably level in the penalty-box pantheon with Lev Yashin.
The second is that, indisputably, Banks (below) pulled off the greatest save of all time when he kept out a bullet header from Pele at the 1970 World Cup. Watching the iconic footage again is to marvel at his athleticism, anticipation and perfect positioning.
Meeting him through the years was always a privilege – and to be reminded of the essential modesty of the legends of 1966.