If reports in the British media are to be believed, Manchester United may once again turn to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – but the mistake would be appointing him merely as an interim solution.
The Norwegian has emerged as the favourite to replace Ruben Amorim, who was dismissed following an extraordinary post-match rant after the draw against Leeds United, in which he publicly questioned the level of authority granted to him by the club’s hierarchy.
“Wait, the same Solskjaer who was fired by the club?” some may ask. On the surface, reappointing a manager who was dismissed not long ago appears illogical. Look a little deeper, however, and bringing Solskjaer back begins to make far more sense.
Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, the club has lurched from one crisis to another. Yet it was under Solskjaer, from 2019 onwards, that United arguably played their best football of the post-Ferguson era.
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A search online will come up with countless videos of supporters reminiscing about “Ole ball”. Under Solskjaer, United were a well-oiled machine that played eye-catching football and scored tons of goals. Who can forget THAT night in Paris?
In his first full season, United finished third in the Covid-19-affected 2019/20 Premier League campaign. The following season, they finished second behind Manchester City. Since Ferguson’s retirement, no United manager has managed two top-three league finishes. Solskjaer was clearly moving the team in the right direction, and there were signs that a sustained title challenge was beginning to take shape.
The 2021/22 season marked the point at which things unravelled. Despite boasting one of the most expensively assembled squads in the Premier League, performances dipped and the club’s owners opted to pull the plug. While other clubs have shown patience during periods of transition, United once again panicked and ended Solskjaer’s tenure at the first prolonged downturn in form.
Had the club applied the same logic in the late 1980s, Ferguson would have been fired in 1987.
Solskjaer’s return would offer an opportunity to reset the club’s direction. Having spent 11 years at United as a player, he understands the culture, the pressure, and what supporters expect – winning football played with attacking intent, something notably absent during the tenures of Erik ten Hag and Amorim.
Rather than serving as a short-term fix, Solskjaer should be considered as a permanent appointment and, crucially, be given the space to fail – something he was never afforded during his first spell.
Manchester United’s greatest modern success was built on patience. Ferguson endured six trophyless years before transforming the club into a dynasty. More recently, Arsenal resisted the urge to panic as Mikel Arteta endured three difficult seasons before emerging with a genuine title-challenging side.
If United are serious about rebuilding rather than firefighting, then bringing Solskjaer back – and backing him through inevitable setbacks – would represent a long-overdue shift in thinking. Without patience, no manager will succeed at Old Trafford; with it, Ole might yet finish the job he was never allowed to complete.
Sport
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