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.
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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”.
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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.
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“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.”
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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)
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Ruben Amorim reacts as Manchester United are booed off after Malaysia friendly
Danny Jones
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has delivered a fairly brutal response after his club were booed off by supporters during a friendly in Malaysia.
The Red Devils recently embarked on a post-season tour following a calamitous 2024/25 campaign, both domestically and continentally, with that limp loss in the Europa League final, but have already resumed what has become alarmingly normal service with yet another defeat.
Finding themselves on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline against ASEAN All-Stars in Kuala Lumpur – a squad comprised of various talents from around the region who had never played together before and were only founded as an actual team back in 2014 – it was all far from clean slates and fresh starts.
In the wake of the shock result, Man United were booed off by the Malaysian and other international fans inside the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, which saw more than 70,000 in attendance.
It’s the end and that’s it. Man United got boo’ed by the fans after the final whistle.
They got beaten by non-full team Asean All-Star who just trained together as a group few days before the match. pic.twitter.com/fBxnMiZPN8
For context, the ASEAN All-Stars had only trained together for the first time just days before the game itself, but the de facto exhibition outfit still managed to break the deadlock in the 71st minute against a United side that rarely looked like scoring.
All that being said, Amorim had some choice words for his own players in his post-match duties after their first post-season tour fixture, insisting that while he always remains accountable, those out on the pitch perhaps received somewhat of a deserved reckoning too.
He began by stating, “I’m always guilty of the performance of the team, no matter what. [I have been responsible] since the first day”, but went on to argue: “The boos from the fans, I think it something that we need, maybe.”
Citing that the Old Trafford faithful and die-hard away fans have always been loyal and supportive despite frustration in the league, he suggested that “maybe they will change the way they behave” following this latest reality check.
Despite adding that he has seen reasons for optimism in performances against Man City and Liverpool, for instance, where he felt he saw “belief” and seeds of what’s to come, he’s made very few excuses for the poor displays up to now.
United face the Hong Kong national team in their next friendly on Friday, 29 May, and it’s fair to say anything less than a win would be beyond bad for the predictably unpredictable Premier League club.
You can see his full post-match press conference down below.
Featured Images — Manchester United (screenshot via YouTube)/Edward Kuruvilla (via X)
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Stockport County to introduce safe standing at Edgeley Park
Danny Jones
Stockport County will soon be introducing safe standing at Edgeley Park as part of the pending stadium development plans.
The Hatters may have just missed out on promotion to the Championship, but it’s still been an exciting few years for the club that has seen a fresh surge in young new supporters in addition to their passionate lifelong followers.
In more fantastic news for fans, County have announced that brand new safe standing sections will be installed across the ground.
Confirming the news on Wednesday, the club said: “After receiving all necessary approvals and working closely with safety authorities, we are set to install rail seating in two designated areas of the stadium.
Stockport County is thrilled to announce the introduction of safe standing areas at Edgeley Park ahead of the upcoming 2025/26 season.
Visit the club site for more details on this exciting new development ⤵️#StockportCounty
— Stockport County (@StockportCounty) May 28, 2025
As detailed on the club website, there will be two new dedicated safe-standing/rail-seated zones – one in each main stand: the back five rows of seats in the Cheadle End’s upper tier and the back two rows of the Vitality Railway End.
With Stockport Council greenlighting plans for League One side to expand their home capacity, this reconfiguration is set to accommodate a total of 849 County fans and/or supporters.
Although this all depends on final approval from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), the aim is to deliver a “vibrant and dynamic environment for both home and away fans at Edgeley Park.”
The official statement goes on to explain that the push for safe standing is not just to provide more matchday options for those in attendance, but in hopes of further “enhancing the atmosphere and improving the overall matchday experience for those who prefer to stand.”
Couty has insisted that “The rail-seating system incorporates a barrier for every seat, ensuring that supporters are protected from a sudden surge or crowd movement.”
Safe standing is part of the larger Stockport County stadium redevelopment plans.
Addressing early concerns in a ‘What This Means for You’ section, they go on to add: “Season ticket holders currently in the affected rows will be contacted directly by the Club over the coming weeks with details on their options, including relocating to a seated area if they prefer not to stand.
“Information regarding new season tickets and matchday tickets in the safe standing areas will be released in due course.
“We believe this is another significant step forward for Stockport County and will further enhance the already incredible atmosphere at Edgeley Park. We look forward to seeing and hearing the renewed energy in these new sections.”
The safe standing plan is set to be introduced for the upcoming 2025/26 season, with the administration hoping to make this their last in the third tier. Do you see them going up next year?