menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1593547_ole-gunnar-solskjaer-proves-hes-a-born-winnerOle Gunnar Solskjaer proves he’s a born winnerOle Gunnar Solskjaer dreamed big as a player and it became a reality at United. His managerial fantasies are no less ambitious.
On the weekend the Reds hailed Chicharito’s super-sub heroics at Villa Park, the original and Old Trafford record- holding striker with that moniker was adding to his stock as a boss.
The United legend’s managerial CV is stacking up after he engineered Molde’s back-to-back Norwegian title success on Sunday. He left United’s reserves in 2011, charged with the task of winning the Tippeligaen for the first time in Molde’s history as he stepped up on to the next rung of his career ladder.
In their 100th anniversary year last season, Molde’s former striker and favourite son delivered.
On Sunday, while his team were beating Honefoss 1-0 at home, nearest rivals Stromsgodset lost and Molde were crowned champions again.
The 1999 Nou Camp hero’s success 12 months ago alerted suitors to his growing coaching talent. Last May, he turned down an early chance to move back to England and take over at Aston Villa.
This season, Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers were keen for Solskjaer to fill their managerial vacancies but he spurned those opportunities as well. Sunday’s success will inevitably see him immediately installed among candidates for any future Premier League post that becomes available.
The big one, however, is the job of ultimately becoming Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor at Old Trafford.
There is a feeling that Ole, who plots his career carefully, is manoeuvring himself nicely into position to be considered when Fergie retires.
His managerial credentials do not match those of potential rivals for the Reds job – Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola.
Mourinho grabbed untold silverware riches for Porto, Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid and Guardiola produced a golden era for Barcelona as he built the best team on the planet.
Nevertheless, thinking big has been in Solskjaer’s psyche throughout his career and Ferguson himself encouraged those dreams.
After winning the Tippeligaen for the second time, Solskjaer knew the inevitable question about managing United was on the horizon and he didn’t duck it.
“I have been asked that question and answered that question hundreds of times. I’m not thinking I am ready to do this (be United’s manager) and I am not thinking it will happen one day but you have to dream,” Ole told M.E.N. Sport.
“Sir Alex Ferguson always taught us to have big ambitions and big dreams. I am not naive enough at this stage to think I can do that job but every player who has played for Manchester United and has become a coach or manager or has ambitions that way would want to have that opportunity one day. You never know what is around the corner.
But Sir Alex has got many years left in him, don’t worry about that.
“I have never hidden the fact I want to be a manager in the Premier League one day. The time will come. I don’t doubt that.
“I’ve had offers and talks but at the moment I want to finish this season as we have two games left in the league, try and progress in the Europa League and then the target hopefully is to get Molde in the Champions League proper next season.
“Those are my short-term ambitions but long-term I can see myself wanting the opportunity in England or at a bigger club.
“But it is important to take one step at a time. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself. I am 39 and I have only managed for two years.
“I am sure I will know when the time is right for me.”
Having the hunger and desire to want the next big challenge was the catalyst for Solskjaer’s own path to the Reds from Molde as a player in 1996 when he was 23. And it has been the foundation for the success of the Norwegian club since he returned almost two years ago after coaching United’s reserves following his forced retirement with a serious knee injury in 2007.
“It’s good to have won the title again. We’ve been working for that and it is confirmation that what we are doing is right. It actually feels better the second time around,” he said.
“I know a lot of people wanted to see us fail. When you are the champions a lot of people want to see you lose. The experts on TV and rivals.
“But that is all part of the challenge and it shows the character of the boys and the team I have around me. I was used to that kind of pressure with Manchester United. We used to defend titles but we never changed. We never let success alter us.
“The squad I have at Molde is very young and after winning the title last year we brought in some new faces. But you have to do your homework. We brought in the right characters and personalities. The players we have recruited have been key to our success.
“I learned from Sir Alex the value of getting in the right people. It was always said at Old Trafford that the best players are the best people. Players like Scholesy, Giggsy, the Nevilles, Becks, Denis Irwin, Roy Keane and Edwin van der Sar, they were all the best people and the best players.
“They had the qualities of recovering from failures and not getting too far ahead of themselves when they’d done well.
“I brought in players to Molde who are hungry. I’ve brought in players who don’t want to stay with Molde for the rest of their careers. If they want to have ambitions of playing in the Premier League or the Bundesliga that is fine by me and Molde will benefit from those ambitions.
“I have a lot of young players here who I have known from when they were 13 when I had an Academy over here while I was at United.
“You get to know their characters and personalities and you know the ones with the right mentality.
“It is the key to keeping Molde at the top that you bring in players who are ambitious and you don’t stand in their way if the right offer comes in for them. You let them go and pursue their dreams and get in other new talent. Molde is not the biggest club and you can’t expect players to want to stay around for the rest of their careers when there is so much out there in the world.
“It has to be a springboard for something bigger. I know that from my own experience. I got the chance to go to United because of that and I am not going to stop anyone having that right to improve themselves.”
Molde reluctantly adopt the same attitude to Solskjaer. They know they are having the time of their lives with their former goalscorer and prodigal son at the helm. But they know the more silverware headlines he makes the closer he is getting to the exit door again.
Old Trafford’s entrance may well be welcoming him as it did in the summer of 1996.
=== === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === ===
Good article, but the quotes from Ole are what really interest me. He speaks so excellently about football and the way a team should be built and maintained.
2OLEgend, we should have him back asap!!
