What do we mean by the players play for him? Is it some sort of an additional virtue while turning your players against yourself or losing a dressing room is a common thing? Do not players play for Brendan Rogers or Mikel Arteta? if I saw one team that played for the manager recently it was Chelsea squad for Tuchel against City. The teamwork, the effort and trust in the manager outweighed all the superiority in players' quality that City had over the chavs. Why did we lose to Villarreal. Was it players not playing for Ole or was it Ole's incompetence on the day?
Ole Gunnar Solskjær | 2021/22 Discussion
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The man who has the best chance of bringing success to United should be the man to manage United is a bit meaningless. It's basically just saying I think United should be good and win, which yeah who doesn't think that.
Still imo there's a difference between thinking Ole isn't the right guy and wishing United would lose games. At the end of the day we are football supporters, it's about putting all the negative and personal shite to one side and supporting the team when they are on the pitch.
It was both. I think it's fair to say the players put in the effort - effort really isn't an issue with this squad. You've got blokes like Rashford playing through injuries etc. It's the management and the collective training that is the issue, though. It's clear the players like him and bust a gut for him, but that's not enough these days.
He also thinks he has the experience to now say he doesn’t coach
Like he’s actually earned his stripes to sit back and just use his management skills elsewhere. Like making tactical changes during a game
If Fergie would jump in the sea, Ole would jump after. He's a BTEC Fergie. And it is so cringe. I always laugh when Ole says "It's United, we do it the hard way" and he says it like...he's proud. Like it's a good thing. Can't wait to have a manager who goes his own way, do things his own way, and tries to be his own man. Also, can't wait for a great, tactical coach for our talented squad.He also thinks he has the experience to now say he doesn’t coach
Like he’s actually earned his stripes to sit back and just use his management skills elsewhere. Like making tactical changes during a game
He fecked up by starting (and keeping) Rashford, but other than that it was not like he had loads of options of the bench. Even though Rashford had a shit game we know he can produce moments of magic and when your options are a talented, but completely unproven 17 year old and a 24 year old CM who has largely been shit his whole time here. If he had subbed Rashford at HT and the game ended the same way, you would be howling about what an idiot he is for subbing one of his best attackers
Hes been here 2 full seasons, of course a trophy would look better, but cup competitions is a poor barometer really. Fecking Di Mateo has won a CL, while Klopp, until he won the CL in 2019 had lost 5(?) finals in a row
These comments about "style" are daft because they are impossible to prove or disprove. What metrics do you go by? Possession? Passes completed? Shots pr game? Goals scored? This season we have been roughly around the same level as Liverpool and Chelsea in most of those stats. Maybe the coaching team can be upgraded, but this idea that we just are fecking around in training and the game management stops with a pat on the back and a thumbs up is stupid imo. Do you honestly think these players would stand for it if the level of coaching was that dire?
In the league this year, we have 19 players with more than 10 apps, in the EL we have rotated quite heavily at times, so its not like hes not using the squad at all. I agree that the likes of Rashford, Bruno, Maguire and AWB has probably played too much, but considering how much our level drops when they dont play its not exactly a no brainer to rest them either.
Is 3rd and 2nd a complete failure? In this climate? Hes going up against Pep with unlimited funds and a squad that comfortably beats anyone elses, Klopp whos a brilliant manager and had 6 years to craft his squad and Tuchel whos a very good tactician and has taken over a Chelsea side that is much better than people give them credit for.
So we sack him and then what? Hire Conte? Is that move alone going to win us the league and/or CL next year? What if that goes tits up and he turns out to be Jose 2.0? As long as we are showing an upward trajectory in the league it would be daft to replace him, especially considering the disappointing summer window we had last season where we just added one player who has made any significant contributions to the first XI. And even though i love Cavani, 10 goals and 26 apps in the league is hardly ground breaking stuff. Considering Martial has completely fallen of a cliff this season form wise the squad today is not really that much improved from the one we had in June 2020
Agree with this in particular. The type of players we seem to go for are moments-type players. We can’t control a game properly to save our lives, and it’s been the case from Moyes (Thiago) all through Ole’s tenure.
I've heard Roy Hogdson is available!
I'd love to know why he's shifted from the 4-3-3 that he favoured when he first came in to the now 4-2-3-1.
I'd like him to go back to it, providing we can find someone suitable to play in that Carrick role.
I'd like him to go back to it, providing we can find someone suitable to play in that Carrick role.
The answer to this is in your username.
So you're saying Fernandes is incapable of playing the advanced role of a midfield 3?
Exactly Di Mateo brought them the Champions League and then fecked off. Which I expect Ole will do next year minus the Ch. League.
Dreadful times ahead, Pool have Klopp, City have Pep, Chelsea have Tuchel even Leicester have Rodgers (much more proven than Ole) and we have an unproven ex player, but he knows what Man United mean except trophies that are an ego thing after all. Who of the big clubs care about trophies after all, Bayern? Chelsea? Juve? Barca? Real? Nah, man we've got someone that knows the philosophy of Man United
So sick of people bringing this up as if Solskjaer is saying that winning trophies isn’t important.
He’s saying the strength of a team is measured in whether they can be consistent enough to do well in the league. A cup is different, and can sometimes mask whether progress has been made or not.
To use this to claim he thinks trophies aren’t important is idiotic and/or disingenuous. Is it a good quote? No, I’d rather he hadn’t said it, but some of you lot are as bad as fecking journalists in how you twist things.
That's the same as a 4-2-3-1 and Fernandes is not a midfielder, he's a #10, he takes risks with the ball, creates chances but also loses it often.
At least his words go hand in hand with the performances. He proved it once more in the EL final. Either he didn't care or he couldn't do anything to change the outcome.
A team competes for every cup either that being the league or the cup competitions. That's the so-called glory.
If not, what's the point of playing the starting eleven without rotating in every match and in every competition
Is it? I've been hearing this for two years now and we've kept improving since then. Whats the worst thing that can possibly happen if we give Ole another window and a pop at a new season? His squad building and long term planing has turned out to be quite beneficial for us and the culture and attitudes in the squad are better than they've been in years. If next season is shaping up to be worse than this one then he will be sacked and righly so
Even then, the next manager is going to inherit a younger, more talanted and much more harmonious team then the one Ole inherited from Jose
Also, how are you so confident that everyone else is going to improve and we are going to go backwards, even though we have slowly but steadily improved since Ole arrived?
Everyone says Liverpool is going to be stronger next season and cite their CB issues as the reason why, but the problem was not that they conceded that much, the problem was they could not score in a brothel and Salah, Mane and Firminho are not exactly getting younger either. Also, we dont know how VVD (who is hugely important to them) is going to be next season. ACL injuries are no joke, and while you have some players who recover completely from them you also have the likes of Falcao who never looked the same
No one knows how City is going to be next season. Their squad is better than everyone elses so they are going to be up there, but the CL final might be hugely deflating for them.
Tuchel walked a very fine line between genius and complete failure this season. If Leichester dont bottle it against Spurs on the last day and they lose the final vs City, they suddenly miss out on CL next season and Tuchel is deemed a massive failure. Meanwhile, we score 11 spot kicks in a row and still somehow loses a final. If Rulli misses and De Gea scores you know the mood around here would be completely different now. Fine marigins and all that
Stop making sense on here. It's not allowed.
I haven't been in here since Tuesday, saw on Thursday that there were like 40 new pages, so no need to.
I was disappointed after the game of course. I still wish he could have started Greenwood on the bench to bring him on as an early impact sub. Other than that we didn't have many reliable choices on the bench. But I knew before the game that no matter how it turned out we will extend his contract this summer, and deservedly so in my opinion. At the start of this season most of us had us pegged for losing out on top 4. Finishing 2nd comfortably was a welcome surprise, other teams were reliant on other results whereas we had control of the 2nd place since January. Is that good enough for us as a club? No, but it's progress and I don't see anyone that could have placed us higher this year. This was a weird season for most due to how intense it was and how little a break the players got between last season. Even with a international tournament this summer the players will get a lot more time to get refreshed and start proper preparations for next season.
I hope we do a good job in the market, that we manage to sell most of our older players on loan, and bring in some quality starters, giving us more tactical opportunities from the bench next season. Onwards and upwards.
Sancho, Torres and Bissouma? Interesting. I like the sound of it.
I am sick and tired of poster's on here continually spouting that Ole is a 'Great man manager'
- why has he treated Donny absolutely disgustingly?
- why did he refuse to substitute Rashford in the Final when he was playing absolutely abysmal?
- why did he say after the Final, "We need 3 or 4 new players" (which would have completely alienated the whole bench from the Final)
This repeated talk of Ole being a 'Great man manager' is absolute nonsense.
A completely gassed and out of form Rashford in the Final, was in Ole's eyes, a much better option to stay on the pitch than a fully-fit and energized substitute.
There are a core group of players at Utd who Ole lets run the show... Bruno, Rashford, Pogba, Martial, Maguire, McTominay, and De Gea.
If 'Great man management' means keeping a clique of players happy, regardless of whether they are:
- carrying injuries
- out of form
- playing diabollically during a match, but refusing to take them off
- continuing to select them even if they are overplayed
...if that is 'Great man management' then our club is in a lot worse state than what some poster's think.
- why has he treated Donny absolutely disgustingly?
- why did he refuse to substitute Rashford in the Final when he was playing absolutely abysmal?
- why did he say after the Final, "We need 3 or 4 new players" (which would have completely alienated the whole bench from the Final)
This repeated talk of Ole being a 'Great man manager' is absolute nonsense.
A completely gassed and out of form Rashford in the Final, was in Ole's eyes, a much better option to stay on the pitch than a fully-fit and energized substitute.
There are a core group of players at Utd who Ole lets run the show... Bruno, Rashford, Pogba, Martial, Maguire, McTominay, and De Gea.
If 'Great man management' means keeping a clique of players happy, regardless of whether they are:
- carrying injuries
- out of form
- playing diabollically during a match, but refusing to take them off
- continuing to select them even if they are overplayed
...if that is 'Great man management' then our club is in a lot worse state than what some poster's think.
Playing for Man Utd is no human right, you have to earn it. Sure you may call it unfair, but in no way shape or form is it disgusting.
His squad building have nothing to show for 2,5 years now. How long do you think you can keep players like Bruno, Pogba etc without silverware and just the "squad building", "learning curve" "fine margins" and so?
Without winning anything the harmony part flies out of the window.
Sure I'll give him that we are improved since Mourinho's 3rd season but only just, we're talking about snail pace.
The others will be improved because they have world class managers and we have an unproven one.
Liverpool signed Konate who is class. Great defender and great piece of business for only 35m. Meanwhile we are targeting Ben White and quite possibly for 50-60m, laughable really.
Then you have City that you claim that "the CL final might be hugely deflating for them", where does that leaves us then with a lost EL final from Villareal?
A competition that Ole must be held responsible for playing after dropping off from the CL group by his own doings.
Fine margins and all that, by a man that made his first sub at 100th minute of a final? For a player that was mostly coming from the bench, he sure doesn't know how to use his subs.
Ole himself said at some point that winning the EL will be the platform for greater things as was the league cup SAF won in 2006. Chelsea just won the Champions League, why do you think that they can't use their win as a platform for future success?
No more excuses about "fine margins", "learning curve" (like he was forced to play with the U19, the players he has at his disposal are most of them internationals), "rebuilding", "he needs backing" and all those things.
I've said in another post that he has earned his 3rd year but he needs to challenge for the league or the Champions League to be considered the man to takes us forward. Anything less and he should be out of the door.
Sick of this nostalgia thing that they keep feeding us. In the league there are 4 managers who have won the Champions League or the PL (Pep, Klopp, Tuchel, Ancelloti) and we have Ole who brought great atmosphere around, yeah happy times ahead.
In my opinion it is disgusting, in your opinion it is not; and that's what is great about the forum - differing opinions and different debates.
The Donny situation is certainly a strange mystery... I would liken it to Wilfried Zaha under Moyes - a talented player being completely frozen out with no explanation given.
The explanation was shown each time he did play (not talking about just 10min cameos), he was underwhelming all season until maybe the last game where he was decent. Which many have said that maybe he needed this season to get used to the team and league, that he could be much better next season, as many players need.
He was also unlucky to get injured at the same time as Pogba when he would have been given a longer run to impress. (You don't start a player that doesn't take his chances over someone that was arguably in form).
His squad building has a long term perspective, which is one of the main reasons i think hes doing a good job.
Look at who he has signed: Maguire(28), AWB(23), Fernandes(26), James(23), Pellestri(19), VdB(24), Diallo(18), Telles(28), Cavani(34). With the exception of the last two, all of these players are young for their position. Jose and to a lesser extent LvG went all-in to win silverware right away and that turned out disastrous for the club
Again, how are you so certain they will improve next season? City and Liverpool are nowhere near as good today as they were in 18/19 and 19/20 so its not like they are going to be exponentially going to improve just because they have good managers. I dont have the time to look it up again, but this season we had one of the lowest average age of our starting XI, just above 24 years IIRC where as Liverpool and City were both at 27.something IDK much about Ben White, but if hes included in the England Euro squad at 23 he cant be that bad and i have no idea where you got that number from. Its just rumors at this point and the only price i've seen is 35 million
City have been chasing Big ears for about 10 years now, 4 under Pep. Of course its going to be a bigger blow than us losing the EL. His lack of subs in the EL final have been discussed to death already. He fecked up, so did Pep in the CL final. It happens
By all means. Stay miserable if you want, but personally i am looking forward to next season
GGMU!
At this stage, whether someone is doubting Ole, not doubting him or unsure, it makes sense to just stick for the summer and see how he fares after the backing. Nagelsmann, Rose, Tuchel, Allegri and Poch are all in employment now whilst Conte wouldn't suit us.
Zidane is literally the only candidate out there for the job, whom I can think can walk in right now with an impact. I don't see other clubs changing hands any time soon, so you might as well keep Ole and give him a chance to start big next season.
Zidane is literally the only candidate out there for the job, whom I can think can walk in right now with an impact. I don't see other clubs changing hands any time soon, so you might as well keep Ole and give him a chance to start big next season.
we are not going to be favourites to land Haaland next season. Why on earth does anyone think he is going to come to United when he can get the same pay at City or PSG or even at Chelsea and be coached by better managers? Replacing Lindelof with a better CB is a very good idea. At the same time getting someone like Rice is also necessary. We need to get rid of the McFred midfield.
By "play for him" it can be meant that the players dig deep for Ole and play the roles rhey're assigned to the best of their ability. Neither Fred nor McTominay sulk about being used in roles outside their comfort zone. DVB said he feels loved even late into the season with few appearances. The players buy into Ole's culture-setting and overall vision.
Tuchel certainly may have a claim to this same descriptive phrase. It's a bit harder to tell for me partly due to way less exposure to Tuchel, but also because most people would agree Tuchel is better tactically than Ole. If your squad is functioning smoothly under your tactics there's less need to pull a comeback win every other week.
I’ve never seen culture praised or emphasised as much for any team as it is for us. This team hasn’t won anything and yet the culture is celebrated like some badge of honour.
The club was toxic at end of Jose’s tenure when he left that left with him but it’s like we should all be impressed it’s improved when that was inevitable and happened very quickly.
Paople just dont't get it. OGS had a talk with him, he then chooses Dortmund. OGS wants players that want to play for Manchester United, not wage jumpers. So if you are willing to play for Manchester United and go down in wages you are the correct material. If you want more money, go play for some other club with a manager like Touchel, Pep, Mourinho...
Haaland will never play under OGS in Manchester United, he ain't the correct player for the club or the team
If Ole isnt backed by the Glazers this summer like Jose wasnt in 2018 he should quit.
It is clear the Glazers habour no ambitions for the club to be number 1.
It is clear the Glazers habour no ambitions for the club to be number 1.
Seems like you don't fully get it either.
Yes, Ole talked to him and would have liked for him to join us when he went to Dortmund. But from the players side it made more sense to choose Dortmund at the time because of developmental reasons.
There's a lot less pressure playing for a club like Dortmund than here where millions of fans scrutinize your every move.
Not to mention that at the time (December 2019), Ole's future with the club looked uncertain. Many expected him to be sacked before the summer. And when the club didn't push as hard for Haaland as Ole did, it would have been a more risky choice if a new manager didn't trust youngsters as much and he'd struggle to start over our other more established players.
At Dortmund he was guaranteed to be the main man to continue to develop as a young striker. Already now just 1.5 years later, still only 20, he's considered by most as a proven striker that should start at any club, and then next year with his BO clause he can go anywhere he wants.
That might be to us, or it could be somewhere else. But we'd be dumb not to shoot our shot.
And go back to coaching the mighty Molde? No chance he does that. He's probably pinching himself that he's somehow ended up United manager. No big clubs are exactly going to rush out to poach him if he decides to call it quits.
Nominated for manager of the season. Pretty good for a “PE Teacher” eh?
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Great way to get rid of that nickname. At this point, I am sure it has been used way way more by his fans than by his doubter
And yet we’ll still have people claiming that anyone with eyes can see he’s not fit for the EPL, let alone United.
Where did this "PE Teacher" moniker come from? I've literally never seen anyone say this about him unironically. The only people I've seen use it are his most ardent fans. It must have come from somewhere, but i haven't seen it used as an insult
Not quite sure about the origin, but it was used frequently in earnest by people in the old Ole Out thread that was asking to have him sacked immediately back in 2019/ early 2020.
Probably just a random person on a youtube vlog rant came up with it from seeing clips of him coaching at Molde in shorts and tracksuit jacket which made him look a bit like a PE teacher maybe. And then people just ran with it. Most of their commonly used arguments like "no patterns of play" started on twitter and whatnot.
Well deserved nomination. Moyes will probably win it, which is fair.
EDIT
My ranking based on this season:
1. Moyes
2. Pep
3. Ole
4. Bielsa
5. Rodgers
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