Analysis behind the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Marching Orders
When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer departed Manchester United in late 2021, with his tail between his legs, it wasn’t entirely surprising to Man United fans, but still, a decision that would shake the football community to its roots. The soccer boss has been disappointing fans and higher-ups since the start of the season, which saw the prominent club sitting in seventh place in the league. The losses that Man United have suffered have been numerous; four of their five matches have ended in defeat. The complete obliteration of 5-0 against Liverpool may have set the ball in motion, but it was the 4-1 defeat at the hands of Watford that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Solskjaer, a former striker himself, took the club over in the interim in 2008 but was awarded a contract soon after. It wasn’t until 2021 that he came under severe scrutiny for the club’s position and performance. The club has been as kind as possible to him in his dismissal and even went as far as to release a statement saying that it is with regret that they reached their decision but that Ole will always be a Man United legend. The club went on to say that, although the recent statistics have been incredibly disappointing, they don’t obscure all the years that Ole spent laying the foundations for long-term success. Those tempted to make premier league predictions before the facts are all available have really learned their lesson in this case.
For the Record
While what we’ve seen from Solskjaer lately has been dismal, his overall record is not as bad as one would expect it to be. The defeat against Watford last year marked Solskjaer’s 168th game as Man United manager. Of all the games he was in charge of, he won 91, drew 37, and lost 40. In the grand scheme of Man United managers (since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club, and including David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, and Jose Mourinho), his win rate of 54 percent puts him second; not too bad overall, I’m sure you’ll agree. Mourinho tops that list with 58 percent wins, with Moyes and Van Gaal coming in at 53 and 52 percent, respectively. His record against the Big Six clubs (this refers to Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Tottenham) is slightly less even: 14 wins, ten draws, and 12 losses.
On Solskjaer’s watch, Man United has made some considerable investments in talent. This past summer saw Cristiano Ronaldo return to Man United along with Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho, joining their ranks at a substantial cost. Under Solskjaer’s leadership, the club spent over 33 million pounds more than any other Premier League club and a whopping 196 million pounds more than Man City and Liverpool combined. The club has a reputation as a lavish spender, but the investment in Solskjaer’s team has come in at higher than under either Mourinho or Van Gaal.
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Next In Line
Despite the promise that he showed in earlier days, Solskjaer was clearly not the right man for the job. After Mourinho’s tumultuous time as the club’s manager, the board was looking for someone who might be able to steer them into calmer waters. But it was simply not to be. Not bringing home even one trophy in three years is not the best indicator of success, but it was not the only metric that ultimately led to Solskjaer’s firing. Of course, rumours are flying about who the Man United board is looking at for the job, but some names are far more likely than others.
Zinedine Zidane is a name at the top of many lists, and for a good reason. While Ronaldo and Varane were still at Real Madrid, three of their championship titles were won under his stewardship. As it stands, the French manager is currently at liberty, having closed out his contract with Real Madrid in May last year. Zidane is a master at molding players into a winning team, and his record proves that.
Brendan Rodgers is another serious contender, according to fans and analysts. While his past with Liverpool may be an issue for many hardcore United fans, his record is definitely a positive should he be taken on. While he was at Celtic, Rodgers won seven domestic trophies and had a win every single week. Leicester struggled a bit at the end of last year, but even the best have some difficult moments. Don’t count him out just yet.
Mauricio Pochettino is considered “the one that got away” by a lot of United fans. Currently the boss at Paris Saint-Germain, he’s an unlikely candidate but still one that many fans would like to see. While his team was doing incredibly well at the end of last year, it hasn’t been smooth sailing all the way for Pochettino.
Final Word
Though the firing of Solskjaer was unpleasant, it was ultimately necessary for the long-term good of the team. We can’t wait to see what happens next for Manchester United!
