Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has offered his back to Michael Carrick, insisting his former teammate is the right man for the Manchester United job.
Carrick finds himself under increasing pressure after a poor start to the season that has left United facing the prospect of being in the bottom three.
Many had expected Manchester United to sack him last week following the loss to Bournemouth, but he has instead been given a reprieve for the time being. He will take charge of the clash with Chelsea this weekend at least.
Various names have already been linked with the position should he depart. Solskjaer is one of them. He led Manchester United from 2018 to 2021 after a successful interim period, much like Carrick.
But he’s not vying for his old teammate’s job. Instead, he wants it known that he thinks Manchester United have the right man in Carrick.
“Michael has what it takes to take that club forward,” he told TV2.
“I think he’s the right man. He understands the club, understands the fans, and knows what’s required. You don’t see that ‘devil’ in him. But it’s there! And I have it too! We are so incredibly alike.”
“Perhaps not many people thought I would become a football coach—certainly not the manager of Manchester United. Many probably thought the same about Michael Carrick.
“When I spoke with United, I also spoke highly of Michael.
“‘If you choose him, you’re getting a good man,’ I said. I believe he did the same for me. Neither of us was desperate to get the job. But we’d likely step up if they asked.”
January talks
Interestingly, Solskjaer and Carrick found themselves competing for the job of interim manager last year following Ruben Amorim’s sacking.
Many at the time were open to the idea of Solskjaer returning for a second spell. His first period in charge, despite ending negatively, is still widely viewed as a positive by large parts of Manchester United’s fanbase.
The former striker held talks with United over the position, he’s willing to admit as much. But he wants to shoot down nonsense claims that his demands stopped him being appointed for a second time.
“No, that’s complete nonsense!” he said about those particular rumours.
“I had a good chat with Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada. We didn’t discuss contract length or anything of the sort. I offered to step in if needed, and I made no demands.
“I shared my thoughts on what is required for the club to move forward. We had one brief conversation. There were no negotiations.”
What about the future?
Solskjaer is willing to admit to other things too, like feeling he has unfinished business at Old Trafford.
And he would have been happy to step in for another interim period in January if Manchester United had offered it.
“Well, I mean, sitting here like this… There were some fantastic moments, but everything has its time,” he admitted.
“I do miss it, yes. I could have imagined staying there forever, but life goes on.
“It was a very special period. Of course it was. It was special in many ways. Going back to the past isn’t always a good idea. Yes, I would have stepped in, but I didn’t intend for it to last beyond the summer. It was probably time for someone else to have a go.
“I also feel like I have some unfinished business. Naturally, it would have been fun to have the opportunity again.”
What about the future? What if Manchester United come calling again, perhaps even in the coming months?
First things first, Solskjaer makes it clear that he does not want any headlines suggesting he wants the United job now. Instead, he has a scenario in mind.
“If Michael does well for ten years and decides to step down, and they ask me if I could take over for two months, then of course I wouldn’t say no,” he concluded.
“I’ve spent 18–19 years at that club, so it’s part of my family. But it’s not something I’m thinking about.”
