English newspapers concluded in 2021 when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked, that the United legend was a lightweight as a manager. No titles, that’s “what we said”. This analysis held for a few more years, but when Erik ten Hag with reinforcements Solskjaer was nowhere near getting, the face of the Premier League, English journalists suddenly realized what Solskjaer had delivered at Old Trafford. Ten Hag picked up cup titles, but this was not what United were rigged for.
The Red Devils were supposed to assert themselves in the Premier League and out in the Champions League, then Ruben Amorim arrived in November 2024 – and everything went even further south in the PL table.
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When Amorim was sacked in January, it was between Solskjaer and Carrick for the interim coaching job. Carrick was preferred. In the run-up to April, Solskjaer’s former assistant coach has led United back to Premier League victories, with his whole hand on one of the Champions League tickets for next season. Now Carrick is the favourite to lead United next season as well, but once again Solskjaer is spoken of with a negative sign.
Solskjaer is now being used in the English media as “United management will not make the same mistake as with Solskjaer”, as an explanation for why Carrick is unlikely to get the job beyond the temporary commitment. United in Focus has reacted strongly to this, and puts it all in perspective.
United in Focus does not accept that Solskjaer is referred to with a negative connotation. What the Norwegian delivered as United manager speaks in favour of hiring Carrick on a permanent basis, not against.
We let the English website explain:
“Up until this point, comparisons with Solskjaer have been unfairly made to score points against Carrick, when the Norwegian is arguably the club’s most successful manager after Sir Alex Ferguson.”
Solskjaer is arguably the best United manager since Ferguson.
“Yes, he (Solskjaer) didn’t win a title, but Erik ten Hag did, and nobody thinks he was successful when he led United to eighth place in the league. United (with Solskjaer) played brilliant football and faced two of the best teams ever – Pep Guardiola’s Man City and Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool.”
United played brilliantly and at the same time competed with two of the best teams ever.
“He did all this despite his previous English managerial experience with Cardiff, where he was eventually relegated. The crux of the argument is that Solskjaer’s problems with Cardiff were not an indicator of his leadership skills, because each job is vastly different and requires a different set of skills. Some managers do well with limited resources and don’t know how to play proactive football, and others struggle with the opposite.”
“Carrick looks more like Solskjaer than someone like Thomas Frank, and that’s the biggest argument in his favour.”
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