Solskjaer’s passed his United audition... give him the lead role now
IF you want to know just how much Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is growing into the job, look at his comments relating to the help given to him by Sir Alex Ferguson.
“I think it [Ferguson’s role] has been overblown a bit” he said. “He’s been to the training ground a couple of times and I make sure I visit him after every game in his lounge at Old Trafford.
“He’s still got a good eye for the game… but I don’t speak to him every single day and we don’t even speak every week on the phone.
“It has just been a case of us bumping into each other at the stadium.”
As usual, Solskjaer hits the right note. Hugely respectful, but a reminder he is the man in charge.
If he was not already, he has – as the manager of a great club – rapidly become his own man, confident in his attitude, assured in his approach.
Ed Woodward, it seems, still wants to go through a process, still wants to identify a number of managerial candidates.
And the executive vicechairman could argue there is no rush to make a permanent appointment when the team has won eight and drawn one under an interim manager.
Keep him and them hungry, etc. But two pieces of United business last week should signal Solskjaer’s long-term role as a formality.
We are a compassionate lot, football fans.
The general reaction to Marouane Fellaini’s departure for China has been to profusely apologise to him for regularly referring to him as a symbol of Uni t ed’s post-Ferguson decline.
Let’s not forget how effective Fellaini was, let’s not forget the crucial goals he scored and assists he made, that sort of stuff.
And, in the three semi-finals of competitions which United have won since Fergie ( right, with Woodward), Fellaini scored in every one of them.
But, rightly or wrongly, he WAS a symbol of United’s post-Ferguson decline and he had signed a new deal last summer.
On Solskjaer’s watch, he has gone.
And on
S o l s k j a e r ’s watch , Anthony
Martial has committed his future to
United, signing a contract that will keep him at Old Traf- ford until 2024. It goes without saying Martial would almost certainly have not agreed such a deal had Jose Mourinho been en in charge.
“I would like to o thank Ole and his coaching staff for their belief in me and for helping me to take my y game to the he next level,” Martial said, almost addressing Woodward and the board.
And Sol skja er responded by effectively saying he believes he
can take Martial’s game to a level above that next level.
Of course, this is some sort of honeymoon period and it is easy to be loved-up when whe there is only one on tiny blemish on o a nine-game run. r
But, presuming United don’t get g thumped five- fi nothing or t th he like at L Leic e i c e st e r thi s afternoon, Woodward should have a rethink and give Solskjaer the job now.
Give him the job so he can start properly looking at the bigger picture.
Is it really fair for an audition to last five months? Would it really be fair to judge him on two games against a formidable Paris St-Germain?
Solskjaer knew the score when he signed. It was until the end of the season and take it from there.
Or it was until the end of the season and then see what Mauricio Pochettino wanted to do.
But it is now blindingly obvious he is a great fit, the players respond and will continue to respond to him.
Ask Anthony Martial. And, while he might not be as influential as some people think, Sir Alex would approve.