“I got the job and something changed” — Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Former Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer opens more cans on his managerial stint at Old Trafford prior to his sacking by the club.

In a recent interview, the Norwegian manager revealed that several members of the Red Devils squad expressed their desire to depart the club following his appointment as permanent manager.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer assumed the managerial role at Old Trafford in December 2018 on an interim basis following the departure of Jose Mourinho. Under his leadership, the team experienced a notable upturn in form, suffering just one defeat in 13 league games.

However, the Norwegian disclosed that some players began indicating their intention to leave, which coincided with a dip in performance towards the end of his first season in charge.

Despite the challenges, Manchester United managed to secure third and second-place finishes in the Premier League during Solskjaer’s subsequent two full seasons at the helm.

Reflecting on his early tenure, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reminisced about the positive start, particularly highlighting the exhilarating 5-1 victory over Cardiff City in his first game.

“We went to Cardiff, my old club, in my first game and scored five. It was just about letting the players play. Play forward, run forward, create chances, score, and enjoy being a Manchester United player,” Ole recounted in an interview with FourFourTwo.

However, as speculation mounted regarding his permanent appointment, Solskjaer acknowledged a shift in dynamics within the squad.

“I’d never thought about doing it permanently, I was just enjoying myself and the players were, too. I got the job and something changed,” he explained.

Addressing the challenges faced, Ole attributed fatigue and injuries to the demanding style of play implemented during his tenure.

“Tiredness, since we demanded a lot. That caused injuries. Some players wanted to leave. I felt that the air came out of the balloon at the end of that first season, but in my two full seasons, we finished third and second in the Premier League,” he added.