The players lost faith in Solskjaer over the last month or so, according to reports.
Manchester United have finally ended Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign as the club’s manager. Following Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Watford at Vicarage Road, the Red Devils hierarchy had no option but to make a change and remove club legend Solskjaer with the team’s form in freefall.
The Norwegian was appointed as the club’s caretaker manager back in December 2018 and initially had a successful run in the role. However, three years into the job, Solskjaer, who helped the team finish second last season, had yet to win a trophy.
Man United’s form has also collapsed over the last few weeks. In the last month, the Red Devils lost 5-0 to Liverpool, 4-2 against Leicester and 2-0 to Manchester City. Saturday’s defeat to Watford was the club’s biggest loss to a newly promoted side since 1989.
Man United players reportedly lost faith in Solskjaer.
Since Solskjaer’s exit was confirmed on Sunday morning, behind the scenes reports have detailed how and why his tenure collapsed in such spectacular fashion. According to James Ducker, writing in The Telegraph, his reign unravelled over the last few months. The problems appear to centre around the standard of coaching, the players not fearing the manager and tension rising due in part to selection decisions.
Most of the Man United players reportedly liked Solskjaer and appreciated his personal touch. The Norwegian made an effort to integrate with players and staff at Old Trafford, a departure from Jose Mourinho’s approach, and he often granted players time off to attend to personal matters.
However, Solskjaer, 48, was not feared, it seems. The former Molde manager was challenged by some Red Devils players after the 4-2 loss to Leicester. Eric Bailly, in particular, was said to be furious that Solskjaer started Harry Maguire, who had just returned from injury, ahead of him. Others reportedly felt that Solskjaer showed “favouritism” towards certain players, while some felt playing time was hard to come by regardless of performances or results.
Solskjaer reportedly turned down the chance to make changes to his coaching staff.
The players steadily lost faith in Solskjaer. Following Man United’s 3-2 win over Atalanta, some United players openly challenged Solskjaer in the dressing room. The Norwegian then persevered with the same lineup against Liverpool a few days later, a decision some players found baffling, and the Red Devils lost 5-0 at Old Trafford.
The Telegraph reports that Solskjaer held a meeting with six senior players on Thursday morning in an effort to arrest the team’s slide. The players, however, “had checked out weeks before” and no longer had confidence in the manager’s “tactics and selections.”
Five coaches who could replace Solskjaer as Man United manager with a decision on his future set to be made today.
And why Zidane is not the right fit for the team
Story 👉 https://t.co/jyNtxOCkhR pic.twitter.com/1St5jHZZ1m
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) November 21, 2021
Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani are considered the leaders in the dressing room due to their experience, professionalism and achievements in the sport. It has been reported that some United players felt they have “learnt more” from the pair than the coaching staff.
Ronaldo is said to believe that some of his teammates “want it too easy” and he is “alarmed” by how the club’s standards have dropped since he last played for United. The Portugal captain reportedly wants Luis Enrique, the Spain manager and former Barcelona coach, to be Solskjaer’s permanent replacement.
🗞 Cristiano Ronaldo is keen for Luis Enrique to become the new #mufc manager. He likely to be considered for the role along with Zinedine Zidane and Erik Ten Hag. As it stands, Mauricio Pochettino and Brendan Rodgers are long shots. [@RobDorsettSky]
— UtdDistrict (@UtdDistrict) November 21, 2021
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Mark Ogden reports that Solskjaer turned down the chance to make changes to his coaching staff.
The former Cardiff City manager took more of an old-school approach to training and allowed his coaching staff – Mike Phelan, Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna – to do the daily work with the players while he observed.
However, some players felt that the training was “too British” and “unsuited to elite football in 2021. Yet, the 48-year-old decided against recruiting an elite coach to help, according to reports.
Don’t worry, Ole. No matter the result, you’ll always have your friends… pic.twitter.com/JNSSYHbmRc
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) November 20, 2021
Man United: Where do they go next?
According to The Telegraph, Ed Woodward, Man United’s executive vice-chairman, was still fully behind Solskjaer until as late as last month. So, it appears that the Red Devil’s issues go beyond Solskjaer.
The club reportedly identified Julian Nagelsmann, Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel as potential managers last year. All three are now coaching elite teams – Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea – and will be impossible to appoint at this point.
Carrick, Solskjaer’s first-team coach, will take charge of the first-team on a temporary basis and will be assisted by Phelan and McKenna, who were also on Solskjaer’s staff. The club hopes to appoint a manager on an “interim basis” until the end of the season.
