OLE: MY KIDS GLORY DAYS CAN BRING BACK TO OLD TRAFFORD
Our self-belief has
MANCHESTER UNITED manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is convinced his young stars believe they can be Europa League champions – after turning their season from disaster into a big success.
United won just two of their opening nine Premier League games, prompting speculation that Solskjaer might not be up to the job of rebuilding the club long-term.
But his stars won 16 and drew eight of their last 29 League games, finished third and have reached three cup semi-finals.
And that run of consistency has given Solskjaer confidence his players have the self-belief to win through a tough Europa League semi-final against Sevilla in Cologne today.
“Remember, we’re probably the youngest team, the youngest squad in the Premier League. And to have the start we had, when we struggled – we’ve come through all that.
“I mean, we were one point from the relegation zone after we drew with Liverpool 1-1 at Old Trafford in October.
“So to have finished third, with a great run at the end, will have made them trust themselves and believe more.”
Solskjaer believes his strategy to sell strikers Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez to Inter
Milan has proved the right one, giving the space for young Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood to forge a lethal attacking spearhead.
And it’s helped foster team spirit, with Solskjaer proud of the way his stars have grown into a hardworking, humble group.
“They have definitely grown as a group together. It’s a set of boys that you’re proud of in how they behave, how they go about things, and that’s one of the big things I said all along.
“I wanted a group that worked together, working for something, knowing they’re good footballers but remaining humble.
“That’s me as a person – never think you’re better than you are and these boys have taken on that humility.”
United hope to close the gap on
League champions Liverpool and Manchester City next season.
But Solskjaer has warned that can only happen if his stars show ultimate dedication – just like United teams he played in under Sir Alex Ferguson.
He added: “It’s difficult to compare teams. Sir Alex was one of the best at rebuilding teams, giving them a new impetus and giving them a focus. “We were a group of highly-motivated individuals but it’s two different times in history.
Football has changed over the years.
“We now have more competitors than the team I played in had. I don’t want to compare.
“We’ve got to make our own path and own destiny because it’s all in their own hands.
“These players are at the biggest club in the world. They can be successful but that requires dedication, determination and sacrifice.
“This club has to be your only focus until the day you’re out of the door.” Solskjaer is focused on United but won’t be underestimating Sevilla.
Indeed, he revealed the Spanish club was his role model while he was in charge of Molde in Norway. The United boss undertook a study of the Spanish side after they knocked his club out of the Europa League in 2016 on their way to beating Liverpool in the final.
Solskjaer must find a way to beat former goalkeeper Julen Lopetegui’s side in Germany this evening. And although he has a plan, the United boss can’t disguise his admiration for the club that has dominated this tournament.
He added: “They’re aggressive, they press hard, they are a quick team but with good technical players.
“So we have put something in place that we believe in for this game. We have a plan.
“You can see why they have gone so far. Actually, after we lost to them when I was manager at Molde, our club secretary and myself kept in touch with the Sevilla people.
“I followed their principles and how they were thinking, so I know quite a bit about them.
“The Molde secretary went over there and he kept in touch with them.
“I didn’t have the time to travel over there but we spoke to them about how they set their club up.
“They’ve been very successful, with five Europa League wins since 2006.
“They do well in many aspects – their style of play of course but also their transfer policy has always been good.
“It’s hard when you are competing with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
“They have always been up there and have found a sustainable way of running the club.”