Ferdinand has said it’s time for Solskjaer to ‘hand over the baton.’
Rio Ferdinand has said it is now the right time for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to leave his position as Manchester United manager.
Ferdinand has long been a vocal supporter of his former teammate but has stated that the moment has come for Solskjaer to “hand over the baton” due to Man United’s recent poor spell of form.
The Red Devils have lost four of their last six games, a run that included a 5-0 loss to Liverpool and a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City.
Man United have not produced a convincing performance all season and Ferdinand believes it is time for a change.
Ferdinand: Solskjaer should “hand over the baton.”
“I just feel it might be about the time now for the baton to be handed over to somebody else who can take us on now,” Ferdinand said on his Vibe with Five show on Monday.
“And I think Ole would leave now with his head held high because from when he came into where he got us at the beginning of the season, I think it’s been positive.”
The former England defender also said that the United team leaves him “confused” as they lack a consistent tactical approach or “identity.”
“I sit here now and I don’t think we can challenge for this league. I look at our team every week wondering what are we gonna do tactically?
“I don’t see any philosophy or identity in the Man United way of playing whatever that should be from the management. I sit here looking confused at the team.”
I believe if Ole leaves Manchester United now, he walks away with his head held high… we discuss in depth today!
Thoughts?
🔗 https://t.co/GB1QSAaLsI#VibeWithFive#MUFC pic.twitter.com/cwQvFSGuA9
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) November 8, 2021
Ferdinand famously called for Solskjaer to be made Man United permanent manager in March 2019. The Norwegian was overseeing a successful caretaker spell and the team had advanced past Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League knockout stages.
However, the pundit has now said that he was always somewhat “sceptical” that his former teammate could restore Man United to glory.
“I was always deep down a bit sceptical, could he take us on to be champions? I wasn’t fully convinced. I wasn’t sure he could do that.”
Ferdinand: Man United players don’t fear Ole.
Finally, Ferdinand said that Solskjaer’s shortcoming is that the Man United squad do not “fear” him and this manifests itself in the players not working hard enough on the pitch.
“When I watch our team and sit there and feel the players aren’t in fear,” Rio said.
“The intensity’s not right, players aren’t sprinting out and hurting themselves sometimes in games. I see that as a disrespect to the manager and almost like ‘I don’t fear (him)’.
'This can't be real' https://t.co/1zIckwbYCk
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) November 6, 2021
“Every great manager who has been successful or won things in this game, they have an element in fear. Pep now, Klopp now, Tuchel now, Fergie in my time, George Graham at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger.
“There’s an element of, ‘If you don’t do what I say, you don’t follow the rules, you don’t follow the fundamentals that make us successful, you are getting back here and sitting in front of me or behind me on the bench and watching.’
“I don’t see that fear in this squad. That can’t be right. It ain’t right.”
Solskjaer under pressure.
Ferdinand is the first high-profile ex-Man United player turned pundit to openly state that it is time for the club to change their manager.
Paul Scholes has been critical of Solskjaer but has yet to say the club should replace the Norwegian. Roy Keane has blamed the players for Man United’s poor form.
Gary Neville, meanwhile, has repeatedly said he won’t call for Solskjaer to leave his position and reaffirmed that stance when responding to Ferdinand’s comments.
Never. Thank you for asking though 👍 https://t.co/z5Xr4KGGWu
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) November 9, 2021
Man United reportedly have no plans to replace Solskjaer ahead of the club’s next game, away to Watford on November 20.
