Why appointing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as Manchester United caretaker manager makes perfect sense

Manchester United have appointed club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as caretaker manager until the end of the season whilst those making the decisions start writing up a short list for the permanent post. I discuss why I believe the decision makes sense.

Firstly, I don’t necessarily agree with the call to appoint Solskjaer, but I can understand completely why the club have made the call.

What a crazy week it’s been for Manchester United fans, though. On Tuesday, manager Jose Mourinho was sacked with the club sitting in sixth place in the Premier League. His third season syndrome striking once again.

And once the news broke at 9:45 AM on Tuesday morning, other than the outrage about Paul Pogba’s “scheduled sponsorship” tweet, attention turned to guessing what the club will do next?

Can they prize a manager out of a job and select a permanent successor? Will they allow Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna to take charge until the end of the season?

Both answers to those questions were revealed almost straight away. According to reports, United were going to announce a caretaker manager in the next 48 hours and crucially, it would be an external appointment. And that is the first debating point.

Why not give the gig to Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna?

Personally, I would have allowed Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna to take the reigns for the rest of the season. It would provide them with the first team managerial experience they are not going to get unless they have experience. It’s catch-22.

United’s season is pretty much over, so it is not as if we are fighting for the title where higher levels of experience in the crucial situations would be needed.

And perhaps he is right. If a new coach were to come in and really hit the ground, turning the current wave of momentum, Manchester United could be heading into that Last 16 tie against PSG with a real chance of causing some damage.

As well as this, not many of the other sides above United in the table, so if a coach was to find some form and go on a run, who knows if they could lift the club into that elusive fourth place spot.

Woodward still believes there is something to play for this season and doesn’t completely trust Carrick or McKenna to pull off a miracle, but also, I think it is clear that Manchester United’s chief executive was keen to recruit one man and one man only.

So why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer?

Why did Ed Woodward appoint Ole Gunnar Solskjaer then? The man who managed Cardiff for a brief spell in 2014. The man with a Premier League win percentage of 17%, conceding 42 goals. I think it’s obvious.

Remember the remit: “A caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the season while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager.” [BBC Sport]

Solskjaer is not going to be Manchester United’s next permanent manager and he is well aware of that unless of course, he goes above and beyond what is expected of him. But the club will be going through a “thorough” process to decide the next boss, already demonstrating Woodward appreciates this appointment has to be the right one. But, with regards to Solskjaer, what can he do in five and a half months to help? A lot.

United fans had slightly fallen out of love with the club over the past few years, especially with some of the decisions both on the field and off-field, scratching the historic traditions.

And who better to do that than a club legend and ultimate fans favourite who is so deeply influenced by the routines of the club and by the man who guided it to greatness for so many years, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as he said in his interview, “Man Utd is in my heart”. The returning Mike Phelan will add a much-needed sense of urgency and drive to any players who may currently be thinking this will be an easy ride for half a year. And it’s a ‘no lose’ situation. Solskjaer does well and the club is in great shape to hand over to the next manager, he doesn’t, and he wasn’t expected to anyway.

But one thing is for sure, even if Manchester United lose to Cardiff City on Saturday, for a couple of days, we’ve had our club back. I for one am very, very excited.