We in Sporten.com are, to be honest, stunned by the huge opposition to the idea of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer returning as manager of Manchester United. “We saw it quite clearly when he was in the final round with Michael Carrick for the manager’s job three quarters of a year ago.
As is well known, Michael Carrick won and now it is his position that picks up by a very thin thread.
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English football experts are almost unanimous: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should not be given a second chance as Manchester United manager. The criticism is not about a lack of club love – but about the fact that he has already proven that he is not good enough and is far too kind.
When Manchester United fired Ruben Amorim in January 2026, Solskjaer’s name quickly emerged as a possible temporary solution. The Norwegian was even the favorite for the job until the end of the season. But the reactions from the English expert corps were anything but warm.
“Completely absurd”
Former Liverpool player Danny Murphy was among the harshest critics. In the BBC program Match of the Day, he called a return “crazy” and “ridiculous”:
Murphy pointed out that there are better alternatives – Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, or even Roy Keane, who he believed would “galvanise” the club in a way Solskjaer cannot.
“Laughable”
Simon Jordan, former owner of Crystal Palace, was even more brutal in his podcast:
Gary Neville’s “Groundhog Day”
Even Gary Neville, Solskjaer’s former teammate, was skeptical. He described the situation as a repeat of a movie everyone has seen before:
Neville nevertheless stressed that he would not oppose a temporary appointment – but only because he considers it a symptom of a deeper crisis, not a good solution.
Shearer: “They fired him for a reason”
Alan Shearer, the Newcastle legend, asked the most basic question of all:
Gabriel Agbonlahor: “The club is a laughing stock”
The former Aston Villa striker went straight to the point:
Why this resistance?
The criticism is based on three factors:
1. He already got the chance – and failed. Solskjaer managed United from December 2018 to November 2021. He got almost three years, and failed to win any trophy. He was sacked after a 4-1 loss to Watford. For the experts, there is a fundamental question: Why should a manager who wasn’t good enough three years ago suddenly be now?
2. It creates a “soup” of criticism. Steve McManaman pointed out that a return would “muddy the waters” and give more reasons to criticise United. The club, according to him, needs to “wipe the slate clean and start over” – not revive a chapter that has already closed.
3. There are better options. Several pundits pointed to Michael Carrick as a better choice, precisely because he doesn’t carry the same baggage. Jamie Redknapp even argued that United should go for Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola immediately: “I don’t understand why they don’t sign him. It amazes me.”
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But the fans still love him
It is worth noting that the criticism from the pundits does not reflect the mood in the stands. When United played Burnley, the Solskjaer chant resounded from the red-clad supporters. “the supporters are crying out for Solskjaer after the latest slump”.
The irony is striking: Solskjaer is perhaps the most beloved manager United have had since Alex Ferguson – and at the same time the one experts believe is least suited to solving the problems. For a club that has been trying “the old guys”, new ideas and everything in between for over a decade, the question of whether Solskjaer can afford to repeat a mistake they have already admitted is first and foremost a question of whether United can afford to repeat a mistake they have already admitted.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has delivered a 2nd and 3rd place in the Premier League.
