Former Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has pinpointed the moment that he knew his time in the Old Trafford dugout was over as he looks back at his three-year spell in charge of the club.
The Norwegian secured an emotional return to Old Trafford in December 2018, when the former Red Devils striker was named as Jose Mourinho’s successor, initially on a caretaker basis before landing the role permanently in March 2019.
After finishing third in the Premier League in the 2019-20 season and second the following campaign, results took a turn for the worse before the end of 2021.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during his Manchester United playing days (Image credit: Getty Images)
Solskjaer found himself under pressure, as the fixture list cranked up.
“We’d started the season well,” he told FourFourTwo. “Bruno Fernandes missing a penalty against Villa was when things started to go against us. I knew when I looked at the fixtures it was going to be a deciding period. We’d play City and Liverpool, plus Leicester and Spurs away. After that there was Chelsea and Arsenal, plus Champions League games.
“We all needed to pull together in the same direction. Egos came out in a few players. We beat Tottenham convincingly 3-0 away, but then lost two games. I must be the only manager to be sacked two games after beating Spurs away 3-0. My final game was at Watford… I knew it was over then.
“Looking back, the managers after Sir Alex haven’t hit a consistent level,” he continues. “We did it for two years under me, third and second. There was progress. But in my final season we didn’t. I enjoyed it, apart from the end. I tried to do my best every single day, and tried to make the staff be the best they could be. That’s my management style.”
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Ole Gunnar Solksjaer on the Old Trafford sideline (Image credit: PA)
Solskjaer, who is yet to return to management since departing from the Red Devils in 2021, admits there was one thing he laments not being able to deliver.
“There was something missing from my time at United: a trophy,” he added. “One penalty [in the Europa League final] could have changed that and my time would be viewed differently. Trophies are important for a club like Man United and I understand that, but it was also important to lay down the foundation of good performances and I did that.”
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