6 Reasons Why Man Utd Were Right to Give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the Full-Time Job at Old Trafford

After months of guessing who would be in the dugout at Old Trafford at the start of next season, Manchester United announced that their caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be given the job on a full-time basis.


It will cost United just £7.2m to bring the Norwegian away from Molde permanently, on top of the £1.8m fee which they forked out to sign the 46-year-old until the end of the season.


Despite being linked with the likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Zinedine Zidane in the aftermath of José Mourinho's departure, here's a handful of reasons why Solskjaer is the right man to help Manchester United back to the top of the European football pyramid.


The Feel Good Factor

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Manchester United were in desperate need of an IV drip of positivity following Mourinho's reign at Old Trafford, which left players alienated and fans forced to buy into the Portuguese's philosophy.


It was a bold decision to appoint Solskjaer given that his only managerial experience outside of Norway came during a dismal few months at Cardiff City, but the 46-year-old had an instant impact and the club haven't looked back since.


Solskjaer was unbeaten in his first 11 games across all competitions - drawing just one game - before losing the first leg of the Champions League knockout stage match against Paris Saint-Germain.

United turned that tie on its head in historic fashion, and they've only lost one game in the Premier League since Solskjaer's arrival.


More Trophies Than Pochettino

Former Norwegian football player Ole Gun

It might be unfair to compare their success as players, as Solskjaer was part of one of the best teams in history at Manchester United, winning 15 trophies under Sir Alex Ferguson including the Champions League and six Premier League titles.


Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino, meanwhile, only ever got his hands on two Copas del Rey during his time at Espanyol.


But the tables haven't turned since they've gone into management, despite the fact that Pochettino has spent the last five years on the books at one of the Premier League's most revered teams.


The Argentine hasn't won a single trophy since entering into management in 2009, while Solskjaer's lifted three major honours at Molde.


No Pressure to Succeed

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Solskjaer is starting to build a reputation for himself at the highest level of management, but his appointment hasn't come with the added pressure that a big name would bring to the club.


The Norwegian will be given time to get things right at Old Trafford, a refreshing change given that Mourinho's arrival had most convinced that Manchester United would be ending their Premier League drought sooner rather than later.


Ryan Giggs has previously tried his luck in charge, but it feels like Solskjaer could be the right ex-player to help United finally establish themselves once again following Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement.


The Fans are Already on Side

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Some supporters at Old Trafford didn't even know what they were missing during Mourinho's time at the club, but Solskjaer has brought an attacking style of play which is bringing the best out of a handful of fan favourite players.


Manchester United are back to being one of the most exciting attacking teams in the Premier League, allowing the likes of Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba to thrive.


This season was dubbed a write off when Mourinho left in December, but Solskjaer now has the club fighting for the top four and in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.


Sorting out the Club's Structure

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Since Solskjaer was brought into the club, all the focus on Manchester United has been their improvement on the pitch and in the dressing room.


The talk of executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and their need for a Director of Sport has gone quiet over the last few months, but Manchester United are now in the perfect position to set up a world class structure to support their new full-time manager.


While there is very little doubt that Woodward is one of the best around when it comes to the commercial side of things, United can now look to appoint someone with a footballing brain to work closely with Solskjaer to help the club back to Europe's top table.


An Adopted Manc

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

It's hard to believe on the face of it that a former international footballer from a country in Scandinavia would be the answer to Manchester United's problems, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer understands life at Old Trafford better than most.

He spent 11 years on the books with Manchester United before retiring in 2007, making 364 appearances where he scored 127 goals and claimed 31 assists across all competitions.

With a wonderful Norwegian crossed with Manchester accent, Solskjaer looks set to enjoy a successful three years in the north-west where Old Trafford will well and truly become the Theatre of Dreams once again.



Source : 90min