Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is being considered for a sensational return to Manchester United, and there’s a good reason for it.
A whirlwind week began with Manchester United firing Ruben Amorim, and it could end with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer being re-appointed.
BBC Sport report Solskjaer is in talks to return to Manchester United on an interim basis until the end of the 2025/26 season.
Solskjaer managed United between 2018 and 2021, and a second spell is becoming an increasingly likely reality, with Michael Carrick being considered as an alternative. Darren Fletcher is holding the fort until a decision is made.
National media backlash
Manchester United’s interest in bringing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer back to the dugout has brought a lukewarm response from the media.
While some understand the dynamics of re-hiring a familiar face until the end of the season, others have taken a very critical tone.
The sneering is hard to ignore, with The Telegraph blasting: “Solskjaer’s first spell ended with Man Utd fans booing him and he has shown little since then to justify bringing him back.”
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy told Match of the Day: “The Solskjaer one coming back is crazy. Man United paid him to leave because he ultimately failed and now they’re going to pay him to come back?
Gabby Agbonlahor told Talksport: “Everyone was excited when he was getting the sack at Manchester United. It’s that three years ago and now you’re bringing him back?”
And yes, Solskjaer’s spell in charge ended badly in 2021. But managers rarely bow out in a blaze of glory, especially in the modern era. His cycle was over and it was a relief to pull the plug, for his own sake.
The Norwegian’s stint in charge was so much more than the final weeks of his tenure, and apart from a very deceptive run under Erik ten Hag for two months in 2023, nobody has come close to matching the good vibes he brought to Old Trafford.
Would you take Ole Gunnar Solskjaer back as Man Utd manager?
Solskjaer is reportedly open to returning to the Old Trafford hotseat
Critics of Solskjaer plan just don’t get it
All the critics just don’t get it. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s spell in charge was not an unhappy time at all, to many fans it really meant something special.
The post-Ferguson years have been tough, and the final months of the Jose Mourinho era genuinely were miserable. From the dour football to rows with players, and the academy was an afterthought. Solskjaer fixed all of this.
Solskjaer recorded a 5-1 win in his first game in charge, launching on a run of eight consecutive wins. His side were playing attacking football not thought possible under Mourinho.
His man-management was credited as a key part in the team’s success, with Solskjaer breathing new life into the players, who had seen their enjoyment killed by his predecessor.
From the 2-0 win over City before lockdown, to the Covid-era winning run, to the 9-0 win over Southampton, Solskjaer enjoyed memorable moments in charge. He even led United to the top of the league in 2021.
It did not last, and there were some awful results too, but there was something special about the way Solskjaer and his team connected with fans.
Our TalkingPoints poll of more than 11,000 fans saw almost half the respondents pick out Solskjaer as the favourite boss since Sir Alex Ferguson.
Who is Manchester United’s best manager since Sir Alex Ferguson?
And almost 70 per cent of fans are supporting the idea of a Solskjaer return to the dugout.
Supporters were heard chanting his name from the away end during United’s draw with Burnley this week.
Solskjaer’s stint in charge had something special about it, and only Manchester United fans understand.
All this takes us back. During his reign, Solskjaer was dismissed as unworthy of managing United, pointing to his modest managerial record. And yes, he has done little since he left.
But when you look back at the Solskjaer era, his achievements speak for themselves. No trophies, but trophies can be deceptive. He led United to a second-placed finish and a third-place finish.
That’s a heck of a lot closer to first than the embarrassing 15th place finish under Ruben Amorim last season.
Solskjaer isn’t perfect, no United fan ever claimed he was. But he’s ours, and he’s given this job a damn good go, and we would like to see him get another crack, this time with a better support structure behind him.
So let them sneer, let them mock Solskjaer as a glorified PE teacher. They never did get it, and they never will.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first caretaker spell at Man Utd was UNREAL
Why do you think it went so well for Ole?
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