Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a Manchester United legend who has represented the club for nearly 9 years. He was a part of the treble-winning side of 1998-1999. But the Norwegian hasn't received this much height in his managerial career. Having seen Cardiff City relegated to the second division of the English Premier League, this is probably the biggest project in his short career.
When Liverpool put three in the back of the net in December last year against United, nobody expected such a turn-around from them. They have won the next 6 games straight. Scoring 16 while conceding only 3. Last three were clean sheets too. One particular thing that you will notice if you follow them well is the fact that he gives freedom to players to express themselves. Paul Pogba is a perfect example of that kind.
Ole has made it clear that he wants the Gaffer's job at United and will do everything possible to get that. Here are the things that he should get right in order to get that job:
Gaining support from players: United have sacked a total of three managers in the last five and a half years. And for a name like United who possessed that reputation of one of the most stable sides of the world. Sir Alex was there for a total of 26 years. Most of the sacking has been due to bad man-management. Moyes couldn't manage the powerhouses pretty well. Van Gaal was too restrictive and was not a joy to watch, to say the least. Mourinho went against his players openly in the media and hence, lost the dressing room. Apart from all the skills that a top manager should possess, managing the ego-issues of the players remains the primary. One thing with the Norwegian is that he is handling them well. He has focussed on the aspect of enjoying the game and that has made the difference. Players are relatively happy than before and that has reflected the recent results. Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial have expressed the same in the press. Outcasts like Phil Jones and Matteo Darmian have also been making the sides on several occasions.
Financial conservation: The side was due for some investment in January. But the board is looking on not spilling the cash in the Winter Transfer Window and wait for the summers to come along. Seems like they have learnt some lessons from Moyes's tenure. And Ole is not expected to even ask for any recruitments. He will not be pressuring the board on that regard. He is set to use the depth of the current squad and get the most out of them. The owners are looking to keep their pockets full while also expect the side to play well. Let's see if Ole could do that?
Playing it “the United Way”: Fans love to see their side play some exciting and attacking football. Play it with a bit of swagger and fill them with excitement. A lot of emphases is laid on the fact of enjoying the game. Taking risks and not sitting on the back foot and look for chances. And Ole is a legendary player in himself and has been here for nine straight seasons. He has a total of 126 goals in 366 appearances for the club. He knows the club inside out. He is well-versed with the ambitions of the club and he has been there, done that! Can he get the tradition and glory back to the club?
Win something reasonable: Mourinho lost it a long way back in the top 4 race. They were going down to sides from the lower half of the table. But then came Ole and propelled the side back in the race. With the gap between Arsenal and United closed, and Chelsea not being consistent, the hopes are high as ever for a Champions League position. And Spurs are set to miss Kane and Son. A dip-in-form is expected out of them. While the red devils are in red hot form at the moment. And to top it all, there are some easy fixtures in the coming weeks. Beating PSG in the knockout phase of the UCL is now a possibility. A win in the FA Cup, top 4 finish in Premier League and a Quarter-final finish in the Champions League could be the key to his appointment as a permanent manager.
Ole's small CV looks good on paper. But it will be interesting to see how things turn out in the coming weeks?
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