CARDIFF (AFP) - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first test as Manchester United's caretaker manager will come in familiar surroundings as the Norwegian returns to Cardiff City on Saturday (Dec 22), hoping to fare better than he did during an ill-fated nine-month spell with the Welsh side in 2014.
Solskjaer's appointment was described as designed to put a smile back on the face of everyone at the club after the confrontational end to Jose Mourinho's two-and-a-half years in charge.
The new man's first act on his return to the club's Carrington training ground was reportedly to gift a bar of Norwegian chocolate to the club's long-serving receptionist - a gesture of the human qualities United know they are getting.
"The smiling assassin sums him up," former United midfielder Darren Fletcher, who played with Solskjaer, told the BBC. "He's a lovely fella but Ole will let people know if he's not happy with them." The best way for him to lighten to mood quickly will be with results on the pitch.
A 3-1 defeat by Liverpool last weekend left United 19 points off the league leaders and 11 points adrift of the top four, but Solskjaer can look forward to a relatively forgiving fixture list over the festive period.
After visiting the Cardiff City Stadium, the Red Devils host Huddersfield and Bournemouth before travelling to Newcastle on January 2.
Solskjaer's presence rekindles memories of United's golden age, but also serves as a stark reminder of how far the club have fallen since the retirement of Alex Ferguson in 2013.
Â
Â
Â
Â
In 11 seasons under Ferguson as a predatory striker, Solskjaer scored 126 goals, including the one that famously won the Champions League final in 1999 as part of a treble of major trophies.
Yet, doubts remain over whether Solskjaer's appointment as caretaker boss until the end of the season is based too strongly on sentimentality than someone with the right mix of motivational and tactical prowess to get United not only competing again in the Premier League, but who can push Paris Saint-Germain in a challenging Champions League last-16 tie.
His time at Cardiff that resulted in just three wins in 18 Premier League games, relegation and being sacked early the next season after a poor start in the Championship does not offer much cause for optimism.
But two spells in charge of Molde in his homeland have been far more successful and Solskjaer also started his managerial career working as United's reserve coach, where he oversaw Paul Pogba among others.
The French World Cup winner's frosty relationship with Mourinho was a major factor in the Portuguese's failure to build on winning the League Cup and Europa League in his first season at Old Trafford.
Pogba has started United's last three Premier League games on the bench, but is expected to return to the starting XI after Solskjaer claimed earlier this year he would "build the team around him".
Solskjaer must also find the right defence to offer David de Gea more protection. The Spaniard has conceded more goals in the Premier League this season (29) in 17 games than the whole of the previous campaign as Mourinho persistently changed his backline to no effect.
In attacking areas, Mourinho's dismissal could also provide a fresh start for Juan Mata and Anthony Martial, while £50 million (S$86.7 million) summer recruit Fred, who did not even make the bench at Anfield last weekend, may now be given the chance to flourish.
Real Madrid 1-4 Ajax: Brilliant visitors knock out Champions League holders Football Daily podcast: Real Madrid crash out but Spurs progress It is the first time Ajax have progressed in a
Croatia were forced to dig deep as they came from behind to beat unfancied Azerbaijan 2-1 at home in their opening Euro 2020 Group E qualifier after forward Andrej Kramaric scored a 79th winner on Thursday, Reuters reports.
Soccer-Kramaric nets late winner as Croatia beat Azerbaijan 2-1
Mourinho Concedes Man Utd Incapable Of Living With Liverpool league group stage football match against Valencia on December 11, 2018. continued as United strained to keep a rampant
Mourinho concedes Man Utd incapable of living with Liverpool
Football: Sport Singapore enters three-year partnership with
Abu Dhabi - Iran coach Carlos Queiroz said Friday that he was "honoured" to be courted by Colombia, who want the former Real Madrid boss to join them after the Asian Cup. But the Portuguese, who
Reports: Carlos Queiroz steps down as Iran manager after AFC
Bologna players celebrate after scoring their side's first goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Bologna at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on May 20, 2019.
Bologna earn 'miracle' Serie A survival in six-goal Lazio
Soccer Football - Round of 16 Second Leg - Manchester City v Schalke 04 - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - March 12, 2019 Manchester City's Raheem Sterling looks on as his goal and the fourth fo
Misbehaving England fans 'not welcome in football', says FA. cannot be seen as true England supporters and are not welcome in football. They are an embarrassment to the team and the thousands
FA release statement over England fan violence in Portugal
West Indies' fury at 'dodgy' decisions as Australia get rub of the green. Bangladesh bowling attack exposed for lack of wicket-takers "Even when we were bowling we thought a few balls
West Indies' fury at 'dodgy' decisions as Australia get rub
Jurgen Klopp dismisses talk of Liverpool crumbling under pressure there is pressure,' Klopp told Liverpool's official website ahead of Monday's league game at West Ham United. That is part
Jurgen Klopp dismisses talk of Liverpool crumbling under
The album is the original soundtrack for the musical Struck. The pop/rock score by Rich Morel stars Tony Award winner Alan Cumming. Struck is the story of a fading rock star who discovers that getting hit by lightning will bring back his past glory.
Their Eyes Were Watching God (Book) | The Seattle Public
Liverpool's Klopp condemns 'disgusting' Salah abuse ahead of Chelsea clash 12 April 2019, MVT 19:10 Liverpool's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (C) vies with Porto's Brazilian midfielder Otavio (R) during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final, first leg football match between Liverpool and FC Porto at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, north
Football: 'Spineless, shameful' PSG stars face fury at
REIMS, France (Reuters) - Ada Hegerberg was not needed as Norway kicked off their women's World Cup Group A campaign with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Nigeria on Saturday
Soccer: Hegerberg-less Norway canter past Nigeria | News
0 comments:
Post a Comment