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Solskjær at Old Trafford: »That's what it's ultimately about«
Photo: OLI SCARFF / AFP
Ole Gunnar Solskjær had the last word on Sunday afternoon.
In his almost three years as coach of Manchester United, he would have "made a lot of friends, that's what it's ultimately about," the Norwegian explained to the club shortly after his release, close to the outbreak of tears.
From now on he will keep his fingers crossed for Michael Carrick's successor.
Because: "I absolutely love him."
Unless everything is wrong, the love between United and Solskjaer, the former super substitute, will survive the insight that in just under three years on the bench he could never get beyond the status of an over-promoted substitute coach.
Hardly any malice or anger, but there was a lot of melancholy from the numerous obituaries from players, fans and media, the serious regret that the extremely nice guy had not succeeded in forming a consistently functioning team out of the many talented United players.
Here and there pity shone through.
You really shouldn't have done the whole thing to him and the club.
Especially not that long.
Fit of nostalgia
Solskjaer started as an interim coach in December 2018 in order to temporarily free the club from a deep crisis of meaning.
Under the eternally grouchy, low-risk pragmatism preaching predecessor José Mourinho, United had become estranged from themselves;
with "Ole at the wheel," Ole at the wheel, as the spectators at Old Trafford were soon singing euphorically, the old battleship sailed back into sunnier climes.
A couple of exciting victories spread such a good mood that the management team around ex-banker Ed Woodward glorified the Norwegian in a fit of nostalgia for the return of the era Alex Ferguson and hired him permanently, although he clearly lacked both experience and format.
The temporary solution became the permanent non-solution.
His United could never completely control games in the absence of a stringent game idea and a carefully composed squad, they lived from great moments of the stars on the offensive and from the evocation of the good old days, in other words: from chance.
Popular with supervisors and players
Due to his sociable nature, Solskjaer was so popular with superiors and players that doubts about his manual skills only subtly penetrated the outside world.
Important victories regularly brought him breather before the next setback.
The bottom line after this constant back and forth is a by no means catastrophic record with two top three placements and participation in the Europa League final in 2021 (defeat against Villarreal on penalties). Most recently, however, the helplessness of the team had fallen apart so often that participation in the Champions League was in danger. According to eyewitnesses, it was clear to everyone in North London after the shameful 4-1 at Watford on Saturday that it was finally over.
Solskjaer was granted a deluxe release the next day, with lots of nice words ("Ole will always be a Manchester United legend") and the chance to say goodbye to the audience in a TV interview.
Solskjaer's really touching farewell ended with a friendly "Thank you very much, see you soon".
Thank you, see you.
As if nothing had happened.
Zidane is not an issue in Manchester
And in a certain way that's also true: After three years of Solskjaer, United are back exactly where they were after Mourinho. The club still urgently needs a great manager who represents externally, internally compensates for the weaknesses of the football-inexperienced decision-makers and brings some order to the game and transfer policy. Ideally, he is also very easy to care for and less enigmatic than Zinédine Zidane, who, contrary to numerous reports, is not an issue in Manchester.
Interestingly enough, United themselves do not believe that a suitable man can be found at the moment.
The press release after Solskjaer's expulsion explicitly announced the search for an »interim coach until the end of the season«.
The wording raises the suspicion that there could already be a clear favorite for the new beginning in summer.
Many traces lead to Mauricio Pochettino, who is said to be uncomfortable with Paris Saint-Germain.
In the meantime, so it can be heard from people around the club, a deserving grand seigneur like Fabio Capello or Laurent Blanc should bring the current season to a good end.
After the countless other mistakes of the club's management in the eight years since Ferguson's resignation, no one can predict whether this calculation will work out better than the attempt to revive the past in the person of Solskjaer.
