Ole's Still at the Wheel

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer deserves more time as the manager of Manchester United

by Brendan Smith, Sports O’Clock Writing Team Member

(photo credits: Paul Ellis/Getty Images)

Manchester United have had a turbulent start to the 2020-21 season to say the least. They currently sit 15th in the Premier League table having won just two of their six matches so far. United have been much better in the Champions League, where they are at the top of their group following impressive victories over Paris Saint Germain and RB Leipzig. However, a disastrous run of form has seen United lose to Arsenal at Old Trafford in the Premier League and Istanbul Basaksehir in the Champions League. When a high-profile club like Manchester United endures a spell of bad form, the blame is almost always directed at the manager. The situation is no different here, and United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is now having to defend his job.

Solskjaer has been in this position before. There were those calling for his removal soon after he was hired as the permanent Manchester United manager due to a horrible run of form to close out the 2018-19 season, and he was nearly relieved of his duties in the 2019-20 season if not for two important victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, along with the arrival of Bruno Fernandes in the January transfer window. But that was then, and now United continue to struggle amidst speculation that Solskjaer could be replaced by Mauricio Pochettino, who seems to always be linked with the United job whenever Solskjaer loses a match. I believe Solskjaer deserves more time at the helm, and there are several reasons why United currently have the right man in charge and why the current results are not all his fault:

1. Solskjaer did not get the players he wanted in the summer transfer window

Manchester United’s transfer activity has been flawed since former manager Sir Alex Ferguson and executive David Gill retired in 2013, but Solskjaer has reinvigorated United through his successes in the transfer market. Fernandes, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Harry Maguire have all proven themselves as quality United players, and all three played huge roles in helping United finish third in the Premier League last season.

However, the new arrivals this summer did not match Solskjaer’s preferred targets. Solskjaer was adamant that Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho and RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano would bolster their squad, but United’s board could not get deals done. Instead, Solskjaer was given 33-year-old Edinson Cavani, midfielder Donny van de Beek, and left back Alex Telles along with a few prospect players. To make matters worse, fringe players that Solskjaer wanted to get rid of, including Jesse Lingard, Phil Jones, and Marcos Rojo, are still at the club. Solskjaer is suffering with an imbalanced squad filled with players who are not good enough to wear a United shirt, but that is not his doing…

2. Ed Woodward and the Glazer family are the real culprits behind United’s issues

Ever since Malcolm Glazer obtained ownership of Manchester United through a leveraged buyout, fans have him and his family due to their obsession with the bottom line and the burden of debt they have placed upon United. The Glazers have given United’s daily operational duties to their right-hand man Ed Woodward, who is an experienced investment banker but has little knowledge of soccer. Woodward has been in charge of United’s transfers since the retirement of Ferguson and Gill, and he has struggled to meet the demands of United’s managers.

This has never been more obvious than this summer when Woodward failed to make a deal with Borussia Dortmund for Sancho. The negotiations went on for months, and United were ultimately left embarrassed after Dortmund’s CEO revealed that United failed to make an acceptable offer before an August 10th deadline imposed by Dortmund. Woodward’s incompetence in the transfer market, coupled with the Glazers’ unwillingness to spend enough money to keep United competitive, have created a toxic environment that is making it tough for Solskjaer to do his job to the best of his ability.

3. Solskjaer is playing attractive soccer and keeping the fans excited amidst the turmoil

Contrary to the depressing mood around Old Trafford during the managerial reigns of David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, the mood has been mostly positive during Solskjaer’s tenure. He has incorporated a fast style of play that is nostalgic to the days of Ferguson and has rejuvenated the career of United’s best player in Marcus Rashford, who was underutilized by Solskjaer’s predecessor Mourinho. Solskjaer’s style has also benefited the development of United’s academy players: Mason Greenwood, Scott McTominay, and Brandon Williams are now regulars in the starting XI. Although his tactical awareness is sometimes lackluster, Solskjaer is playing entertaining soccer and giving youth players a chance, which are the two biggest requirements for a Manchester United manager to be successful.

The biggest criticisms levied upon Solskjaer are that United have been incredibly inconsistent under his watch and that he lacks the knowledge of an experienced manager to change United’s tactics and attitude during a match. Those criticisms are fair, but they have to be put in perspective when considering the larger issues within Manchester United. Woodward and the Glazers were previously able to redirect those issues upon the manager; they are unable to do that to Solskjaer as he is a fan favorite and the fans are finally able to pinpoint who is truly at fault. Getting rid of Solskjaer will not fix the fundamental flaws that plague Manchester United, but giving him more time to work with the resources provided for him could help improve United’s fortunes as the season progresses.

(All photos are cited properly. No copyright infringement intended.)