Alan Shearer has expressed skepticism over the possibility of Manchester United offering Ole Gunnar Solskjaer an interim managerial role, stating it would be “really strange” given his previous dismissal from the club.
On Wednesday, Daily Mail Sport reported that Solskjaer, who led United from 2018 to 2021, is currently in a close contest with Michael Carrick for the temporary position at Old Trafford for the remainder of the season.
Both candidates engaged in discussions with United’s chief executive, Omar Berrada, and director of football, Jason Wilcox, on Tuesday. However, it is believed that the club will postpone any final decision until they have had face-to-face meetings with both contenders.
While the idea of Solskjaer returning to Old Trafford might stir emotions, former Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers star Alan Shearer remains unconvinced about the potential move.
“Reappointing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be quite an odd choice,” Shearer commented to Betfair. “I can understand considering Darren Fletcher or Michael Carrick, but it seems illogical to return to someone who has already been let go by the club.”
Alan Shearer says Man United re-appointing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be a ‘strange’ move
Solskjaer and Michael Carrick are locked in a two-way fight to take the interim United job
“Although Ole has played for the club, has a rich history, and was successful as an interim manager, there was a reason behind his dismissal,” Shearer added.
Shearer, who admitted he sees more sense in installing Carrick – who was sacked by Middlesbrough in June – or Fletcher until the end of the season, also urged the United hierachy to proceed with caution.
‘If the interim does well, they have to be really careful not to get stuck in that trap again,’ he said.
‘There will be big-name managers available in the summer – maybe Thomas Tuchel, depending on England’s World Cup, maybe Carlo Ancelotti depending on Brazil.
‘You stop the cycle by getting a really strong, big character in and letting him do the job. It’s no coincidence that the three clubs at the top – Villa, City, and Arsenal – are all basically run by their managers.
‘They have directors of football, but they work in sync. That has to happen at Man United to get them anywhere near where they want to be.’
Solskjaer emerged as a leading contender on Tuesday. A club legend as a player, his success as a temporary replacement for Jose Mourinho in December 2018 led to him staying in charge for almost three years.
Ironically, Carrick stepped in as caretaker for three games when Solskjaer was sacked in November 2021 after the wheels of the Norwegian’s tenure eventually came off.
Solskjaer is an on-pitch legend and emerged as a leading contender for the job on Tuesday
The 52-year-old, who has been out of work since leaving Besiktas in August, was pictured shopping near his home in Cheshire earlier this week.
Carrick is available being dismissed sacked from his first permanent managerial job. It’s understood that United are giving the 44-year-old former England midfielder serious consideration in what has now become a two-horse race.
It is also believed that Carrick is prepared to be Solskjaer’s No2 if he is unsuccessful.
Both candidates played under Sir Alex Ferguson, who returned to Carrington on Tuesday to have coffee with Berrada and Wilcox at the training ground a week after his 84th birthday.
And it appears Sir Alex’s presence still looms large over Old Trafford, with Fletcher admitting he asked for his blessing before taking on the caretaker role – despite the Scot retiring in 2013.
It has sparked discourse around the influence of their legendary manager, who former United captain Roy Keane said is ‘hanging on like a bad smell’ at the club on Thursday evening.
‘What happens in these job interviews? I’m intrigued,’ Keane – who famously fell out with Sir Alex in 2005 – said on Sky Sports.
The 52-year-old Norwegian was pictured shopping near his home in Cheshire earlier this week
‘Why do they keep giving certain people a job? What happens in the interview that they sit there and go, and 12, 14 months later, “he’s not the guy for us”.
‘Do you not suss that out when you speak to them? You look somebody in the eye and go…
‘You see who’s making the decisions at Manchester United… you still have [Alex] Ferguson and David Gill [former chief executive] hanging on like a bad smell.
‘Who’s making the decisions? [Sir Jim] Ratcliffe, [Jason] Wilcox? Who’s coming into this interview process, you’re speaking to a manager, you get a feel for somebody and go “he’s the guy for us?”
‘Almost forget the CV. You need something on your CV, of course, that you’ve won a trophy or managed a long time. But you’ve got to look somebody in the eye and go “are you the man to get us places?”
‘What happens when somebody walks in your dressing room, the top players sit and go, “what have you got for us?” That’s what the top lads do. And if you haven’t got the answers, the players are going to eat you alive.’
He added: ‘The standard of [United’s game against Burnley] was a joke. Everyone after the game was like, “It wasn’t bad, we did well” – nonsense! Absolute rubbish. We’re going around in circles. Any ex-United player has got a chance.’
