How long did it take you

[Bobcat]

Hasnt been some eureka moment for me, but it has come gradually instead

But if i had to point something out it would have to be September-October 2021. First two season there were mitigating cirumstances to the poor league start, but this season its not and the way we've looked the last couple of months has simply been embarrasing.

Even the fecking Arsenal fans at my job is bantering me now, and thats a breaking point for me

 

[Chip]

Given his awful pedigree I thought he was out of his depth from the get go. There have been a number of false dawns, but I never really thought they were anything but false dawns.

 

[Andycoleno9]

I called it first day. And got bashing for it. Unlike many here, i don't deny the fact that there are levels of quality in every football job including (especially) manager one.
We hired a guy who relegated Cardiff and won two titles in 8 years in Norway. He is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, club legend? So what? Does that status makes him a better manager? No.

For me, top club needs top manager. Man Utd hiring failed Cardiff manager was and it is a complete farce.

 

[Sanchez7]

His team selection in the cup game against Leicester when he rested players for no apparent reason and then the performance in the Europa final.

I also started doubting his tactical ability after he gave Bruno a completely free role despite it being quite deterrent to the team’s shape. As good as Bruno is, a manager must have set of instructions on how each player must operate as part of a team.

edit - Maguire’s signing was also a red flag. I have always had the opinion that it should be a pre requisite that a man utd CB be extremely agile and quick like a Rio or Varane so that we can play a high line.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

I called it first day. And got bashing for it. Unlike many here, i don't deny the fact that there are levels of quality in every football job including (especially) manager one.
We hired a guy who relegated Cardiff and won two titles in 8 years in Norway. He is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, club legend? So what? Does that status makes him a better manager? No.

For me, top club needs top manager. Man Utd hiring failed Cardiff manager was and it is a complete farce.

Agree. A club needs a manager with top credentials and also a big personality who can out ego big name players. Otherwise you get the tail wagging the dog.

 

[FatTails]

• Didn’t want him to get a permanent contract on the back of the new manager bounce and before the 2018/2019 season was done.
• Once that was signed, I already had the feeling that we’ve hired a limited manager but obviously there is no point at that point. I hoped for the best.
• The Europa League was a bit of a turning point last season where I went from “maybe he can do well, let’s see” to “this will only end one way”. People will say we just lost on penalties, but it’s more than that. It’s how we played the game, how we make shitty sides assembled on a shoestring budget go toe-to-toe with our superstar-packed team. We don’t truly dominate and control a game like City are capable of doing most games.
• After the Europa league final, I was in the “Ole Meh” camp. If he stays, we’ll continue to get top 4 because of much money we splash around and the quality of the squad, so not the end of the world. If he goes, no big loss, and the odds are high we’ll end up with someone better.
• Ironically, Villarreal, again this season, was a turning point. I went from whatever, to “it’s infuriating how clueless we are in possession, how open we are when countered.” and to the realization that he needs to go. If one thing is not functioning in the team, a manager can fix it. But when you are leaking goals after spending so much money on Maguire, Telles, AWB, and Varane, if you can’t control a midfield, and if your attack is constantly descending to potshots from 25 yards out, it’s too much to remedy for the person who oversaw us get here. DDG is currently the only properly functioning piece in the team, and that says it all.

 

[slored1]

Europa League final. Bottled every single decision there.

 

[Raw]

Around the start of last season where we were shipping goals like mad and getting dumped out of the CL. Then he swung me back in his favour by having us look like we could actually compete for the title. That period kept my faith in him, even despite the cup exits and the EL final loss. I thought he deserved another window to truly complete the team he was building. He's now got a squad that finished 2nd with the addition of Varane, Sancho and Ronaldo and we somehow look even worse.

This loss against Leicester has made me realise that it's just not going to get better. Just watch, we'll have a real shit period of results then start picking up wins to fool everyone that Ole is actually a good manager. He isn't. He's the worst in the league.

 

[IrishRedDevil]

About 3/4 games into this season, I was really struggling to watch up play. Absolutely no style of play or identity and I can't watch his drivel interviews anymore. Its awful when the hope of as new season is squashed.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

• Didn’t want him to get a permanent contract on the back of the new manager bounce and before the 2018/2019 season was done.
• Once that was signed, I already had the feeling that we’ve hired a limited manager but obviously there is no point at that point. I hoped for the best.
• The Europa League was a bit of a turning point last season where I went from “maybe he can do well, let’s see” to “this will only end one way”. People will say we just lost on penalties, but it’s more than that. It’s how we played the game, how we make shitty sides assembled on a shoestring budget go toe-to-toe with our superstar-packed team. We don’t truly dominate and control a game like City are capable of doing most games.
• After the Europa league final, I was in the “Ole Meh” camp. If he stays, we’ll continue to get top 4 because of much money we splash around and the quality of the squad, so not the end of the world. If he goes, no big loss, and the odds are high we’ll end up with someone better.
• Ironically, Villarreal, again this season, was a turning point. I went from whatever, to “it’s infuriating how clueless we are in position, how open we are when countered.” and to the realization that he needs to go. If one thing is not functioning in the team, a manager can fix it. But when you are leaking goals after spending so much money in Maguire, Telles, AWB, and Varane, if you can’t control a midfield, and if your attack is constantly descending to potshots from 25 yards out, it’s too much to remedy for the person who oversaw us get here. DDG is currently the only properly functioning piece in the team, and that says it all.

That decision was the first and most damaging. They made it off the PSG win, on emotion, instead of using their heads and waiting to see how the rest of the season panned out. Utter idiocy. The cowardice of the EL final was unforgivable. He bottled it, like he did previous semis. Great we beat City away, but who got to the final, not us. That was due to not dealing with the first leg. City new exactly what to do, just enough.

 

[Roboc7]

When he signed that first permanent contract and our form dropped off I knew we’d made a mistake.

To be fair to him he’s probably done better than I expected. I think all the disruption of last couple of years caused by Covid has helped him because his management is very simple and lacks detail so it hasn’t had as much of an impact on him as other managers. I think it’s been fairly obvious for a long term that there isn’t much of a plan and that has been proved correct.

When you look at his managerial career he shouldn’t be anywhere near the job, for him to be successful he has to be way better than that CV and he isn’t unfortunately.

 

[FreakyJim]

After his first full year and his first three signings. His football is shite and outdated.

 

[rollingstoned1]

i had a suspicion he might not be good enough 2 yrs back, especially for where we want to be but i didn't think he deserved sacking until this past month where we have looked rudderless and out-of-ideas. I still am tempted to play the devil's advocate and think he might turn it around secretly but it seems as though even the dressing room aren't convinced and once that happens it doesn't matter how you are tactically, your time at the club is numbered.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Around the start of last season where we were shipping goals like mad and getting dumped out of the CL. Then he swung me back in his favour by having us look like we could actually compete for the title. That period kept my faith in him, even despite the cup exits and the EL final loss. I thought he deserved another window to truly complete the team he was building. He's now got a squad that finished 2nd with the addition of Varane, Sancho and Ronaldo and we somehow look even worse.

This loss against Leicester has made me realise that it's just not going to get better. Just watch, we'll have a real shit period of results then start picking up wins to fool everyone that Ole is actually a good manager. He isn't. He's the worst in the league.

Agree about the CL group. We had the group just about won and he fecked it up completely. If he loses this next run of games he needs to go. We will never succeed if we cannot beat our rivals, or any half decent side to be honest.

 

[villain]

Towards the end of the 19/20 season after the covid-halt, I was doubtful whether he had taken us as far as we could go with him in charge.
But about this time last year I was convinced that he needed to go.

 

[James35]

By May 2019 I knew the club had made a huge mistake. I did get caught up in the original Ole Euphoria but to give him a permanent role that quickly was crazy, as the end of that season showed us some serious warning signs, well for me at least.

To have given him yet another deal is another thing altogether but nothing surprises me when we have incompetence from top to bottom at this club.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

The writing was on the wall since the end of his very first season. You can occasionally get a manager who turns a top team round after a bit of a slump. I can’t think of any examples of it happening after a slump that bad. We won just 2 of our last 9 league games. That’s pretty incredible really.

 

[Lyng]

The final vs Villareal was the final straw for me.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

The final vs Villareal was the final straw for me.

Him and the club needed that trophy and he blew it.

 

[Abraxas]

Firstly I wasn't overly enamored with the appointment because I do believe that you have to employ the most qualified individuals, just like any job. Ole was not that, I felt we got carried away with the work done within that caretaker function.

However beyond that I think that once an appointment is made you have to keep an open mind and retain some patience. I still think there is a place for that in football. A combination of that and some slow progression and squad recomposition kept me onboard for quite a while.

It is really this terrible run of performances this season that has eroded my confidence. Mainly because a lot of investment has been made, time has been allowed, it is time to deliver and we are not in any respect. The results are mediocre and the performances far worse than that. It was probably the CL performances that really annoyed me and then this Leicester one felt a bit of a nail in the coffin in terms of the sheer disorganisation, on field work-rate and finally the result.

 

[Swarup]

I was gutted after Europa but the fact that he managed to convince the board to get Ronaldo, Varane and Sancho (the later two as per plan) I was hoping to stick to him for one more season; even with optimism.

But in-spite of these signings we are playing without any style or substance. This is when I am convinced that he is not cut out for this job on the long run - neither his support staff. How can they not make the most of stellar players we have at our disposal is beyond me....

He has to go.

 

[izak]

I hoped for 2yrs or more but if I'm to pick the moment when i had it all up to my teeth it has to be the Aston Villa game, I even went on a rant and got ban for it on the Ole performance thread i think.

 

[R.N7]

https://www.redcafe.net/threads/appointing-solskjaer-was-a-mistake.446742/

 

[kthanksbye]

Had a feeling when we hired him that he's not the right man, thought we didn't really NEED to give him a permanent contract so soon, but then realized that he's exactly what we needed back then, the spirit was back, players were enjoying themselves.
Was hoping against hope that in a couple of seasons by the time he has a squad capable of challenging for the title, he will also have developed and become the person to lead us to one. Unfortunately, we now need an established person to take over now.

 

[VivaJesperBlomqvist]

You can just put it on ignore. Let people who want to debate, debate.

Yessss… finally someone told one of these high and mighty forum custodians. Let people make threads ffs. People are posting in it so obviously it’s valid. It’s a place of discussion and discussion has been engendered here, end of.

 

[VivaJesperBlomqvist]

Europa final was the last straw, unacceptable performance and result.

Yeah. 100% this.

Southampton at home was also a lethal blow last year

 

[yamo123x]

Sheffield utd defeat at OT last season for me.

Tactically useless and poor subs. Leaving players on the pitch because of their name and having no balls to change.

The presser after saw the same BS said that we are hearing now after the leiscester game. " we have a good group" "the boys want to learn" " a defeat is never nice but its the nature of this club to bounce back " etc etc.

Time for a change.

 

[Berbaclass]

One of the many games where he didn't try and win and was happy to take a draw.

 

[gerdm07]

I hated him from the first moment he signed and knew he was not going to be good enough, especially with that fake smile attitude that seemed to go well with the general fan base.

Last year I was actually impressed at times, we were playing some decent footie, but the UEL final got me.
I don't even care about his tactics, man management, in game management and his smile that seems faker than a highway hoe, I just hate he has absolutely zero balls. That's why it seems he lost the players and he'll surely lose his job in 2-4 weeks when this tough run of matches comes to end.

When you don't have the balls to change anything and you play the same shit setup and shit (Some) players week in, week out, there's only one result.

His smile? I think his smile is genuine.

He cleared out a lot of the deadwood players in the club and that took some balls.

 

[Fts 74]

Burnley 0-2 at OT.

I cringe when I hear the "DNA" talk, probably about half a dozen games in his whole tenure where we've looked great and 2 of those was against Leeds one of the most open teams you'll ever see.

Hes signed better players the ones he wanted which ironically have exposed him as a very limited manager.

We need to let him go now whilst there is still a bit of goodwill towards him and I hope I look back in 3/4 years fondly of the players he signed for us and getting rid of the toxicity of mourinho.

 

[OleTheGreat]

...to come to the realisation that Ole was not right for the job? For those that were prepared to give him a chance once he was appointed.

It took a while, about 1 month ago (Sept 2021) in my case. Some are still hanging on to Europa final and second place fumes. But most of them will eventually come around. Except those that will support him into the championship.

So out of random curiosity, when did it dawn on you.

I was pissed off with Ole when he couldn't get out of 3 semi-finals. I always feel he has the passion but not what it takes to motivate his players. He is trying to emulate Sir Alex but he definitely cannot do that. That was a different era and even Sir Alex changed a lot in how he saw football during his stint at Man United. His teams evolved year after year. He identified players from around the world that would suit his system and brought them in regardless of the competition, more like Pep and Klopp are doing right now. Sir Alex had a particular way of playing football, he likes his United teams to work hard on the pitch and fight for the ball and when his teams were in difficult positions, they worked even harder and that's probably why we had more Fergie time winners. The mentality of the Sir Alex United teams were like those of Lions. Ole's team is a group of great talent who cannot or do not know how to play with each other.

Ole has assembled a good squad now. A manager like Conte or Zidane can takeover now and add the zest that is tactically necessary to win. I don't know why but I think we have struggled to play a whole game dominating every aspect since Moyes' appointment. It was better when Ole came in and when Bruno came in but it has faded through time. We have survived only through individual brilliances every time. We definitely need a manager who can push this squad to do better in possession and out of possession. Sack Ole now!

 

[dannyrhinos89]

I knew immediately. When we offered him the job I knew it would end badly.

He relegated Cardiff and won something in Norway, hardly a glowing cv.

He's a manager thats been thrusted into a position he clearly didn't deserve and is and always was too big for him.

 

[Enigma_87]

1 month in his tenure as a permanent manager.

 

[Tom Van Persie]

Always had my doubts that he would be the man to deliver success.

 

[1988]

Take your pick.

 

[1988]

* I'm dumb.

 

[Pearl's a minger]

Never wanted him,never got sucked up with the initial up turn in performances and to be honest it's been a long 3 years with him in charge.Amazes me that such a successful money making machine such as Manchester United still appears to have more than it's fair share of clowns in positions of power within the club.I really hope the club do the decent thing and put ole out of his misery sooner rather than later but it would not surprise me if he's still here next year. Unfortunately,we appear to be turning into a richer version of Arsenal seemingly happy winning the 'Top 4' trophy.

 

[telstar96]

I'll admit, I was a massive supporter of Ole being manager but for me it has to be the Champions League exit last season that swayed my opinion.

We beat PSG away, smashed Leipzig at home. Considering the difficulty of the group I was on cloud 9, Ole at the wheel galore. Then we fielded a weaker side against Istanbul, and lost. Remember that goal we conceded from our own corner? Embarrassing. But then we beat them at home, and after 4 games we were top and only needed a draw to qualify for the last 16.

The PSG game at home was a tough game. We played well, missed some good chances but Ole's decision not to sub his beloved Fred backfired massively when he got sent off. Honestly, I sure every watching knew Fred was a ticking time bomb except Ole. That for me was when I began to feel unsure about Ole and some of the decisions he makes in high pressure situations.

So going into the last game away to Leipzig, all we needed was a draw or better. That night has to be the most embarrassing display I've seen in my life from a United team. The team that Ole set up was a mess. He basically left 2 players in midfield to fend for themselves and we got destroyed. That for me was it. Since then I've come to realise the deficiencies Ole has as a manager, especially when there is a game of importance.

There's no reason why we failed to qualify for the next round and the same issues that plagued us in the UCL were obvious in other matches (all the semi final exits, EL Final loss and the FA cup exit to Leicester).

 

[K Stand Knut]

I think I secretly knew that his time at United was always limited but I always supported him and wanted him to stay.

I stand by the opinion that he deserved to be where he currently is but he seems to be working pretty hard to make me look silly for that opinion.

The key is that he deserved to be in his current position. Until the start of this month, I would probably have said deserves to be in his position

 

[YikesSchmeics]

I love Ole for everything he has done for the club, including as manager. People forget just how toxic the club was at the end of Jose's time. I didn't enjoy the games or look forward to them at all. I've had doubts since the form fell off the cliff post PSG 2019. Yes, that was a fluke of a win but when you look at it, the personnel on the field, and the way we set up, it is clear that Ole is tactically quite good at counter attack and compact defensive structures (which suits our players in many respects) and that is why for some time we have had tis boom bust cycle of big results in big games followed by dreadful runs against lesser teams when the onus is on him to coach a more cohesive and attacking style of play.


There have been a few factors that have caused me to end up where I am now, which is fully fledged Ole Out. Most of it starts at the EL Final, runs into this summers strategy in the market, and culminates with what we are seeing on the pitch now.

- The EL Final. Not subbing DDG for Deano given the penalty records of each player. Not making a fecking sub.... a long running issue for him. He had no idea what to do, and it showed.

- His over reliance / loyalty to players / coaches who aren't good enough / past being able to play at this level. Jones. McFred. Lingard. Mata. Martial. They can stink the place out week after week for 3 years but keep getting on the pitch. This extends to his coaching staff. Carrick. McKenna. Right now would have been the time Fergie would have brought in someone like Queiroz to help improve the standard of coaching. The lack of patterns of play has been evident for almost his entire time in charge now. And he isn't trying to fix it.

- His record in the transfer market is not as blemish free as everyone implies. Why did we need to sign Heaton? Why did we sign Pellestri or Amad prior to sorting out the 1st 11? And so on.

- Treatment of Donny. It's a complete and utter joke. Either he allowed the club to waste a sizeable chunk of our budget on a player he didn't want, or he doesn't know how to use him. Lose lose for Ole. He has given plenty of bang average performers endless chances to play their way into form, but not Donny. A complete disgrace.

- This season the fixtures were there for a strong start, and he blew it. I do not care that he doesn't have the best player in the world in every position the way he seems to want, he should be winning and dominating most of these games. Klopp managed to get them lot through last season playing midfielders in central defence, by having a recognizable pattern of play to rely on. It's called coaching. I'd worry how far we would fall if we lost Maguire and Varane for the season now. It just comes off as excuses at this point.

- The Young Boys game, if I had to hang my hat on one specific moment, was probably where I said enough is enough. Last season he snatched defeat from the jaws of victory by dropping that clanger at Istanbul Basaksehir, one of the most disgraceful defeats in the clubs history for a multitude of reasons, not least HOW we managed to gift them a goal from schoolboy mishaps. And that Leipzig performance. It was because of his limitations that we ended up in the EL again. And it was always "once he has the players these things will stop happening". Well, now he has the players, and we are still being embarrassed in Europe losing to small clubs in ridiculous fashion. That moment it became crystal clear in my mind, this is just who Ole is as a manager. This is his level.


I also don't expect him to save himself this time around with a run of big results. As I said already, he is good at setting up a compact counter attacking team for specific games. Problem now is, in order to do this, he has to drop Pogba and Ronaldo. So I fully expect that the next few weeks will be very very bleak in terms of results. I really hope this doesn't tarnish his overall legacy at the club. It's sad to see so called United fans abusing him. It's perfectly possible to love Ole and accept he isn't good enough to United manager. I also love Roy Keane / Gary Neville / Paul Scholes etc but wouldn't want any of them managing United either. My big fear now is how bad it has to get before the gutless owners and board do what they need to do.