Ole Gunnar Solakjaer has turned down an offer to manage his hometown club FC Molde, which he left in 1996 to join Manchester United. Following his retirement at the conclusion of the 2006-07 season, Solskjaer was named manager of United’s reserve team. The 37-year-old had the opportunity to return to his home in Norway last week, but decided to remain with United citing a debt of gratitude to Sir Alex Ferguson. The Norwegian also claimed he has dreams of one day being Sir Alex’s successor, a notion which I fully support.
Solskjaer cemented his name in United history on 26 May 1999 scoring his infamous stoppage-time winner against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final. It was his goal which made United the first and only English club to successfully complete the Treble. He became known as a “super sub” for the club, often scoring crucial goals coming off the bench. Despite spending most of his United career as a substitute, Solskjaer remained at Old Trafford from the day he joined until his retirement in 2007. Solskjaer has shown that same loyalty to the club by turning down Molde’s offer.
Few reserve-team coaches would turn down the opportunity to become a manager, but that’s exactly what Ole has done. In fact, Solskjaer claims he will remain with United as long as Sir Alex does. After all, it was Fergie who gave Solskjaer his big break coaching by offering him the role of reserve team manager. It is this kind of loyalty which I believe makes Solskjaer an excellent candidate to succeed Sir Alex.
I’m of the opinion that Solskjaer is actually the best candidate to manage United once Sir Alex retires. Some hope that an experienced manager such as Jose Mourinho succeeds Sir Alex, but I’ve always hope that one of the club’s legends would be our next manager. Over the past 24 years, Sir Alex has implemented a system as Old Trafford which has yielded great success and numerous honors. Why stray from a system that has served our club so well for over two decades? Selecting a coach who has worked under Ferguson for years is the perfect way to preserve a proven method of management.
It would be very similar to Pep Guardiola’s appointment as manager of Barcelona in 2008. Guardiola played the majority of his career with Barcelona and was named manager of the club’s reserve team soon after his retirement. When the position as first team manager became vacant, Guardiola was chosen for the job. Guardiola’s appointment paid immediate dividends as Barcelona went on to win all six of the competitions they competed for in his first season. Just imagine if Solskjaer were to achieve something similar with United; as if he wasn’t already a club legend. Ole may not have any experience managing at the senior level, but neither did Guardiola and he went on to be very successful.
I think there is a certain intangible element that comes with appointing a club’s legend as manager. Solskjaer understands the history and significance of the club better than an outsider would. The Norwegian has worn United’s shirt with pride and won countless honors; there is a certain connection to the club that cannot be underestimated.
The fact that Solskjaer is a club legend is not reason enough to appoint him as manager when Sir Alex retires. And while I am not foolish enough to believe that managing a reserve team is the same as managing a senior side, Ole’s record with the reserves has been impeccable. Since being appointed to the job in 2008, Solskjaer has led the reserve side to four honors: the Premier Reserve League (2009-10), the Premier Reserve League North (2009-10), the Lancashire Senior Cup (2008-09), and the Manchester Senior Cup (2009). He has already proven he is more than capable of guiding a team to glory.
There are certainly many choices for suitable heirs to Sir Alex, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gets my vote. Solskjaer has earned glory for United on the pitch, and now I think it is time for him to do the same off it. It is the one option that, in my mind, would provide a seamless transition after Sir Alex’s eventual retirement. Solskjaer won the Champions League for United in 1999 sending chills down the spines of fans worldwide. I dream of a day when Solskjaer could lead us to the promised the land again, but this time from the sidelines.
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