In his first proper interview since leaving Manchester United, club legend and ex-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær has shed light on his time as head coach, what the dressing room was like, wantaway players, transfer window mistakes and more.
Speaking in an exclusive with United We Stand editor and journalist for The Athletic, Andy Mitten, the former Man United striker turned boss broke his silence on a number of issues after having been let go by the club in November 2021 following a poor run of results.
In contrast, the treble-lifting centre-forward earned the full-time manager’s position after an incredible start in an interim role, managing 14 wins in his first 19 games and fans were more than happy to see him come on board permanently.
But this form didn’t last forever despite finishing second the next year, making it to multiple semis and a Europa League final, United‘s league form began to suffer and it became clear other issues around the club had arisen. Now, according to the Norwegian, there was a fair few that played their part.
In his first in-depth interview since leaving #MUFC, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer discusses:
▪️ Why Ronaldo deal "felt right, turned wrong" ▪️ Telling players at HT he expected to be sacked ▪️ Some "weren't as good" as they thought ▪️ Players singing 'Ole's at the wheel'
He opened up on how the United dressing room went from singing ‘Ole’s at the wheel’ to people forcing moves away.
In the extensive sit-down with the lifelong Red, the 50-year-old revealed that in the nearly two years since his sacking, he’s had a lot of time to reflect on his tenure as manager and that despite enjoying coaching at youth level, he does miss the professional game and has received offers from Saudi Arabia.
ADVERTISEMENT
Regarding Old Trafford itself, he believes that his time there may have gone in another direction if one moment had gone differently. “Well, there’s something missing: a trophy”, said Solskjær; “One penalty could have changed that losing in the shootout against Villarreal in the Europa League final] and my time there would be viewed differently.”
Nevertheless, Ole insisted that he still did plenty good there — finishing in the top three twice, second behind a magnificent Man City side in 20/21 and bringing in some big signings — and that his remit from the start was simply to “get fans smiling again”, adding that he and the team “had something going”.
ADVERTISEMENT
However, he suggested that as many fans still believe to this day, the return of Cristiano Ronaldo was a “very difficult decision to turn down” and despite feeling that yes was the right choice, “it turned out wrong” and definitely factored into his eventual downfall.
🚨🚨🎙️| Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on signing Cristiano Ronaldo: “It was a decision that was very difficult to turn down and I felt we had to take it, but it turned out wrong.
It felt so right when he signed and the fans felt that at that Newcastle game, when Old Trafford was rocking… pic.twitter.com/gLq6zJtyoi
Ronaldo went on to become an even more problematic figure under current manager Erik ten Hag.
The ‘baby-faced assassin’ went on to reveal that he also knew he was going to be sacked at half-time in the 4-1 defeat to Watford and apparently told his players as much, detailing how received a text from Ed Woodward the following morning asking to see him in his office.
His relationship with Woodward and the rest of the board was another aspect he touched upon, revealing that he simply couldn’t buy the players he wanted to after agreeing to sign “three main ones” every season when he accepted the job.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We couldn’t buy the players I mentioned to the club… Erling Haaland, before he made his Salzburg debut. Declan Rice, who wouldn’t have cost what he did in the summer. We discussed Moises Caicedo, but we felt we needed players ready for there and then…
“We wanted Jude Bellingham badly — he’s a Man United player, but I respect he chose Dortmund. That was probably sensible. But it’s why I respect Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Dan James and Jadon. Young players prepared to come into a team that wasn’t 100 per cent there like it was when I arrived.”
🇳🇴 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on his time as Manchester United manager:
🎙️ "I would have signed Harry Kane every day of the week and my understanding was that he wanted to come."
The retired marksman also added, “I would have signed [Harry] Kane every day of the week and my understanding was that he wanted to come” but confirmed that “the club didn’t have the budget with the financial constraints from Covid-19, there was no bottomless pit.”
As for the players that he did sign, he cited Bruno Fernandes as his best and most impactful but admitted that it “hasn’t worked out” with Jadon Sancho and that “we’re still yet to see the best from him”.
He also went on to reveal that some members of the squad “weren’t as good as their own perception of themselves” and although he wouldn’t name names, he said he was “very disappointed when a couple turned down the chance to be captain.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Some even said they “wouldn’t play or train because they wanted to force their way out”, which he says is something that would never happen in his day, labelling it “a disease of modern football”. We’ll leave it up to the fans to speculate on which individuals he was referring to.
Ole also cleared up some media rumours about United’s dressing room culture and how he treated some players, assuring that they were “complete lies” and that he “had a solid, honest relationship with most of them”.
He didn’t blame everything on the players and limited transfer business, of course, stating that there was an element of “tiredness” and that because the fixtures and training “demanded a lot” it resulted in a lot of injuries.
Solskjær concluded by saying, “Let’s hope Erik is successful and if there is a cycle [at the club], that he breaks it. Someone is going to do it.”
Featured Image — Manchester United/Cristiano Ronaldo (via Instagram)
Sport
A Salford community centre is hosting a specialChristmas-themed pro wrestling show
Danny Jones
A local community centre in Salford is hosting a Christmas-themed pro wrestling show this festive period and it might just be one of the coolest-sounding fundraisers we’ve heard in a while.
Do sleigh bells and body slams go together? Well, we’re going to find out.
Hosting the special seasonal edition of PinFall Wrestling, the local sports entertainment group based out of Salford Gymnastic Centre, beloved local organisation The Rec will be helping put on a whole evening of fighting action from their 20ft wrestling ring.
Scheduled to get underway on Saturday, 14 December, a whole slew of UK wrestling talent will be competing in PinFall’s Christmas Chaos 2024.
Managed by the Salford Involved Cooperative, a non-profit enterprise that helps fund places like The Rec, nearby gyms and other important community outlets,
Promising “turkey, tinsel and takedowns”, the star-studded roster includes ITV’s World of Wrestling stars Sheikh El Sham and Martin Kirby, plus fan favourites like Commander Sterling.
Better yet, as well as many other familiar faces to those immersed in the British wrestling scene, the event will also feature talent from the Top Rope Wrestling Academy (TRWA), all of which will be making their PinFall debut.
Christmas Chaos takes place at The Rec on Camp Street in Salford (M7 1ZT), just five minutes or so outside of Manchester city centre, with doors opening from 2:30pm.
Adult admission is only a tenner and children aged 15 and under go even cheaper at just £6. Tickets are available HERE and you can even spring for early access through VIP passes if you’re feeling fancy.
Once again, all the funds raised through ticket sales go straight back into the centre and towards organising other community events throughout the year.
The Rec is based in East Salford, which has eight out of its 13 neighbourhoods listed as the lowest 10% on the country’s index of multiple deprivation.
They offer a wide range of support services throughout the week that help tackle the effects of poverty in the area including recovery support for those struggling with addiction, refugee and asylum seeker classes, sports, youth activities, food banks and more.
As well as ticketed events like these, they regularly hold free community fun days such as their annual Easter event and Christmas present drive, which saw over 250 presents handed out to locals in 2023.
Working with multiple regional and national organisations such as Greater Manchester Police, the NHS, National Lottery, Sports England, Children in Need, The Mustard Tree and more, the importance of the work done at The Rec cannot be overstated.
More importantly, places like this need constant support directly from the communities that they serve, especially during difficult times like the one we are facing right now. So, if you fancy helping the much-loved Salford community centre and watching some festive wrestling shenanigans, see you there.
Rúben Amorim outlines the three key things Manchester United need to work on
Danny Jones
Rúben Amorim has conducted his first full press conference as Manchester United manager and has outlined the three key things he wants to address when it comes to his new team.
Amorim officially joined Man United on Monday, 11 November after being given a ‘now or never’ which meant he had to leave his former club Sporting CP in the middle of the season.
Replacing Erik ten Hag, who was sacked less than 24 hours after a 2-1 defeat to West Ham and had overseen a run of bad results, the contract extension he was given in the summer ultimately proved obsolete and now the Portuguese head coach must lift his new side from a measly 13th in the table.
That being said, speaking to the media in his first full pre-match presser ahead of his maiden Premier League outing against Ipswich Town this weekend, Amorim has already highlighted three key areas in which he wants United to improve as a matter of priority.
"I truly believe that I'm the right guy in the right moment" 👊
Ruben Amorim says he does not think managing Manchester United is the impossible job.#MUFC#bbcfootball 🇵🇹
What did Amorim say in his first full Man United press conference?
Although the 39-year-old coach – who is only three years older than resurgent centre-back Johnny Evans – started off by assuring that his main focus at its core is to win the next match (and the one after that, as the football cliché goes), he boiled the current squad issues down to a troublesome trio.
In his eyes, a lot of it just comes down to pure physical effort.
Improve possession
First and foremost, Amorim was quick to point out that United “lose the ball too often” and simply have to retain it more throughout the 90 minutes.
Although they have enjoyed spells of greater control in games, their average possessions stats in the Premier League not only under ten Hag but Ole Gunnar Solskjær and even short-lived interim boss Ralf Rangnick never flirted too far above 50-53%.
While that might sound like the signs of nothing more than a well-contested game, the club need to be looking at much higher numbers if they want to start being a dominant force again.
Track back more
The second area he said that the team desperately needs to improve in is the distances covered per match, especially when it comes to running back towards their own goal and tracking back during defensive phases.
Addressing it in a rather matter-of-fact manner, he told reporters: “We have to be better at running back, I think that is clear for everybody [to see].” He told Gary Neville something very similar in his other recent interview with Sky Sports.
"This is my place" ❤️
The smile on both Gary Neville and Ruben Amorim's face when the Manchester United head coach said this ☺ pic.twitter.com/dpKnnE69Nm
He said it with a smile on his face but it’s clear that he knows there is a narrative surrounding United in recent years that they just don’t work hard enough, both on and off the ball. Having played mainly in the middle of the park for Belenenses, Benfica and SC Braga, running is a non-negotiable.
Focus on the ‘details’ first
Lastly, Amorim said he believes one of the big things he can do for these players is to help them fine-tune the small things. He added that although there is a feeling that fans want there to be “a lot of change” and pressure to make “big” decisions, he reiterated that “it’s the small things.”
The former utility player knows a thing or two about playing in lots of positions and going back to the opening point of his press conference in which he discussed getting the team to believe in “one thing”, he believes that the minute differences can contribute to changing how they approach the game.
There is understandably lots of talk surrounding his trademark 3-4-3 formation and whether these details refer to tactical tweaks, we will see, but he insists that so long as they put in the effort and pay attention to the little stuff, those on the pitch will start to play in the same way that he wants them to.
You can watch his press conference ahead of the Ipswich away this Sunday in full down below:
Amorim was also happy to casually call out those who ‘don’t believe in’ his new players in his first press conference as Man United coach.
Danny Jones -
20th September 2023 
