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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has opened up on his time on the helm at Manchester United, claiming gamers turned down the captaincy and admitting the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo ‘killed’ the crew’s model of play.
Solskjaer was within the dugout at his former membership from December 2018 to November 2021, having initially signed on as a caretaker supervisor, main the Crimson Devils for a powerful 168 matches in all competitions.
The Norwegian was initially well-liked with followers and breathed new optimism right into a membership that had begun to stall underneath Jose Mourinho, earlier than shedding his job after a string of poor outcomes.
His United facet by no means received any silverware, with Solskjaer in the end being axed for the ill-fated Ralf Rangnick tenure to start, ending over the summer time of 2022, when Erik ten Hag was introduced in.
Nonetheless with out a managerial appointment since his spell at Outdated Trafford, Solskjaer has made an look on the most recent episode of Follow Soccer, dropped at you by Sky Guess, alongside Gary Neville and his common co-hosts.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was Manchester United boss for nearly three years earlier than being axed
The Norwegian boss revealed that some gamers would flip down the captain’s armband
Whereas speaking about his time within the dugout at United he revealed that gamers would flip down the possibility to captain the facet on sport days – one thing most would think about a privilege.
‘Nobody mentioned “No” to being the membership captain, it was only for sure video games,’ [On whether they said, “I don’t want to be captain for this match.”] Sure, however they did not wish to say it themselves, they’d different folks come as much as me and say it. It was disappointing. It is a totally different era, its Gen Z.
‘It is petty and reveals a scarcity of ambition.’
However that wasn’t the one factor gamers would move up on. Solskjaer additionally claimed that many within the squad had been unwilling to conduct post-match interviews with the media.
There have been some that he felt in a position to depend on, together with then-skipper Harry Maguire and present armband incumbent Bruno Fernandes, however some gamers ‘apprehensive concerning the questions’.
The Norwegian added that he felt criticism from pundits and the media had a detrimental impression on his gamers’ psychological wellbeing.
‘Many gamers mentioned no to doing the pre-match interviews, the three questions,’ he revealed.
Bruno Fernandes was one of many gamers that might frequently conduct post-match interviews
Cristiano Ronaldo (proper) was introduced again to Outdated Trafford underneath Solskjaer’s reign in 2021
‘You had the go-tos, Bruno [Fernandes] at all times did it, Harry [Maguire] at all times did it, Victor [Lindelof] did it, David [De Gea] did it, Luke Shaw did it. The others had been apprehensive concerning the questions, so most popular to not do it.’
‘You are fearful of the entire response perhaps, however you additionally perceive a number of the gamers’ psychological well being.’
He added: ‘[On whether criticism from pundits and media affect players] Positively, 100 per cent. You criticise gamers or groups’ ways, however when it goes above that, as a result of there are such a lot of who watch and hear and go on social media [it does have an impact]. If they do not learn it, mates, brokers, managers will.
‘When it will get private, about character, they hear and give it some thought greater than you assume.’
Solskjaer additionally admitted his resolution to signal Ronaldo in the end backfired, however defended the transfer. The Portuguese made an surprising and triumphal return to Outdated Trafford in the summertime of 2021, however after a promising begin it turned obvious Ronaldo didn’t match his tactical plans.
‘It didn’t work out for me, it didn’t work out for Cristiano, but it surely was the correct resolution on the time,’ he mentioned.
Solskjaer defended the choice to signal Ronaldo, however admitted the transfer backfired
Solskjaer revealed he made Harry Maguire captain as he felt Bruno Fernandes was ‘too passionate’ to put on the armband
‘With the ball, with him within the crew, it was no drawback. With out him [pressing], we needed to change a bit of bit the totally different roles we’d gotten used to. We had been one of many highest urgent groups earlier than [Ronaldo joined].
‘We let Dan James go when Cristiano got here in, and so they’re two various kinds of gamers. It was the correct resolution to make for me – it didn’t turn into the correct one.’
Solskjaer additionally revealed he made Harry Maguire captain as he felt Fernandes was ‘too passionate’ to put on the armband.
‘I knew Bruno Fernandes had captain qualities after I was supervisor at Manchester United. He’s bought the persona and high quality, however he is aware of and I’ve informed him, that he’s too passionate at occasions and he loses a little bit of management.
‘I beloved Harry Maguire as a captain, he was the chief in that group for me after I was on the membership.’
One of many trials of being a soccer supervisor lies in balancing various egos and personalities throughout the dressing-room.
Understandably not all choices will go down with all gamers always, and one of many thornier matters can usually be crew picks.
With squads of round 20 gamers, and solely 16 in a position to function in every sport ordinarily, there’ll naturally due to this fact be some ignored regularly.
But Solskjaer claimed that this disappointment may result in barely extra unbecoming behaviour – particularly gamers leaking data ‘as a result of they had been sad’.
The previous Crimson Devils boss claimed that media criticism affected gamers’ psychological wellbeing
Solskjaer spoke about various matters regarding his time on the helm at Outdated Trafford on the Stick To Soccer podcast
‘I felt we [coaching staff] had an excellent rapport with the gamers, however there are at all times one or two in a squad that leak issues as a result of they’re sad,’ he admitted.
‘Being a supervisor, you play a sport Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday, you sack about 14 gamers each sport and the subsequent morning you need to inform them they’ve one other probability.
‘There are solely a specific amount of occasions you may say, “I am going to provide you with that sport, you’ve got bought an opportunity.” Ultimately, they go bitter, we had an enormous squad with too many gamers. You probably have too many gamers, they get sad.’
Ole Gunnar Solskjær was talking on the Follow Soccer podcast, dropped at you by Sky Guess.
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