[Jazz 16]

It hasn't been long since Ole went from super sub legend to the coaching
staff and now onto become reserve team manager.

His friend and mentor Rene Meulensteen has been speaking about Ole's chances.

Rene: Ole's razor sharp

The two coaches regularly watches United's senior side in action together, and
Meulensteen has been impressed by the Norwegian's astute insight into matches.

"As a player, Ole was so productive off the bench, he had a great ability to read
games and opponents, and that will help him also as a coach and a manager,"
Rene told ManUtd.com.

"He's got a good eye for tactical ideas about the game. I sit a lot with him
upstairs during matches and he has a good sharp view for what's happening in a
game and what he would do to change it and why things are happening.
It certainly bodes well."

"The things that made Ole succeed as a player will make him succeed in
management," said Rene. "He's got great determination and focus, as well as a
great ability to learn, and these qualities are the same as those you need to be
a successful manager."

Do you think Ole will make a great manager from what Rene has been saying?

or Do you think he isn't tough enough (too nice) to really make the grade?

Ill be watching the reserves with more interest than usual with him at the helm.
Thoughts?

 

[piazza]

He should be our assistant manger.

 

[TheManc]

To be honest I have my doubts weather he has the mentality to be a top manager. He just stikes me as a similar person to Sir Bobby in that he hasn't got that 'nasty' side which all the top managers need.

 

[Jay007]

I said in another thread I thought he'd become a great manager.

I think if he wants to manage United, he might have to leave to become a manager in his own right first, and if he proves himself he'll certainly be a contender.

I would love to see him back one day, and be a success. That would be great

 

[abojodeh]

i dont think ole can play the same fergie mind games

 

[thedude]

Ole as Assistant Manager and Keane as Manager...

Good Cop-Bad Cop

 

[antdevil78]

To be honest I have my doubts weather he has the mentality to be a top manager. He just stikes me as a similar person to Sir Bobby in that he hasn't got that 'nasty' side which all the top managers need.

sven is laid back and he managed to get something half decent out our lesser halves

 

[thekeanefella]

being a nice guy wont affect how ole goes about his job, he is a very astute student of the game, after all he has spent many a year on the bench watching the greatest manager of them all .

only time will tell if he is to be a great manager, after all keano was written off as a manager from day one, with some claiming a raving psychopath couldnt manage a football club, imo keano has done extremely so far.

admittedly ole is a different character to keano, but as the saying goes "never judge a book by its cover".

 

[Jazz 16]

being a nice guy wont affect how ole goes about his job, he is a very astute student of the game, after all he has spent many a year on the bench watching the greatest manager of them all .

only time will tell if he is to be a great manager, after all keano was written off as a manager from day one, with some claiming a raving psychopath couldnt manage a football club, imo keano has done extremely so far.

admittedly ole is a different character to keano, but as the saying goes "never judge a book by its cover".

Great post and I agree with every word. Time will tell I guess.

 

[dlan4327]

Maybe he doesn't have that hard edge but frankly that's what I like about him. I will always repspect SAF but he really does annoy the hell out of me on occasion.

I'm not singling out any one thing he does but I think every United fan has experienced a moment of pure ARGHH!

Still a brilliant manager though. As for Ole... Like antdevil78 said Sven is laid back and he won a Scudetto with Lazio, so... anything's possible.

 

[piazza]

Maybe he doesn't have that hard edge but frankly that's what I like about him. I will always repspect SAF but he really does annoy the hell out of me on occasion.

I'm not singling out any one thing he does but I think every United fan has experienced a moment of pure ARGHH!

Still a brilliant manager though. As for Ole... Like antdevil78 said Sven is laid back and he won a Scudetto with Lazio, so... anything's possible.

Like when he brings Fletch to Moscow instead of Park

 

[Red Warrior]

Solskjaer's long-term future at United is set to lie on the training pitch but he is already being tipped to make it as a manager in his own right. "The things that made Ole succeed as a player will make him succeed in management," said United coach Rene Meulensteen. "He's got great determination and focus, as well as a great ability to learn, and these qualities are the same as those you need to be a successful manager."

 

[Jazz 16]

Q&A: OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER

Ahead of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's testimonial clash against Espanyol on Saturday 2 August, we caught up with the Reds legend to talk past, present and future...

You've enjoyed a long and eventful journey in the 12 years that have passed since your scoring debut against Blackburn. Why do you think you adjusted to life at OT so well?
My personality on the pitch was that I liked to get goalscoring opportunities and I was patient enough to let the chances come. I'd say as a player I was low in confidence between the two 18-yard lines, but inside the 18-yard box I was never low in confidence. I always thought, ‘next chance I'll score'. If I missed a chance I thought, ‘OK, the next one I'll score'. When you have that approach you don't let the pressure of playing get to you because you're focused on what you've got to do.

Aside from the manager, who has had the biggest influence on your career?
I hope to say myself. That's the signal I want to send to everyone. It's what is inside you that drives you on. My ambition, my determination, my self-management and patience made my career, but with loads of help along the way. At Molde, Age Hareide was very important. The Under-21 coach for Norway, Nils Johan Semb, picked me in his U21 squad and I was the only one from the third tier in Norway. That meant a lot and gave me a little push to become a player. Then there's Egil Olsen. He gave me my chance in the Norway first team, which led to my chance to play here because Jimmy Ryan (now working with United's Academy) was at the match to see Ronny Johnsen and I scored two goals. I say to kids I coach now, it has to come from within yourself, but you must listen to those with more experience than you. That was one of my strengths. I was humble and listened to all of the advice from older team mates, ex players and coaches, and took everything in.

You worked with the first team last season - what was it like to watch in Moscow?
I wasn't in Moscow, I watched the game from home because my missus was very pregnant! Watching it was so nerve-wracking, it's so much worse watching on telly or being in the crowd than playing. When you're playing you don't think about these things, you don't get nervous, you just focus on playing. I don't bite my nails but I would have had none left if I did! I went through so many different emotions and I was very, very happy for everyone at the end.

What are your hopes for your first season as Reserve team coach?
I'll benefit from being a coach here because you develop all the time and this is something I needed. As a coach you need to be in charge of something and be responsible, of course, but I'm here to help these lads be ready to play first team football. I know that they're just as ambitious for themselves as I am for them.

People always see you smiling, but are you going to be strict with the players too?
Absolutely. I've played Championship Manager my whole life and have sold many players! [laughs]. Being tough is not a problem. The players know what I expect of them and as long as they do that, they won't have a problem. But as soon as someone drops off… It's not me they're letting down, it's themselves and I'll need to let them know. So that's not going to be a problem, believe me.

Funds from your testimonial will go to building 10 new schools in Africa… Why have you chosen this project?
For me this project is about hopefully being remembered for something other than football. I'm going to put up schools in Mozambique, Malawi and Angola. It's something for me to give back because football has given me so much. To do that would mean that my career has made a difference to so many other lives.



What a guy he is. Love the fact he is using the money to build schools in Africa.
and lol at the 'Ive played Championship Manager my whole life and have sold many players! [laughs].'

 

[TheManc]

sven is laid back and he managed to get something half decent out our lesser halves

Yeh but there is a difference between being laid back and being too much of a nice guy.

I may be wrong, hopefully I am, but he just doesn't strike me as having the mentality for it, but time will tell I guess.

 

[carlyluvsunited]

Ole will make a great reserve team manager for us.
He has Fergie as his saviour and guardian angel !!

On his own would he be any good ?

He would be absolutely dire !!!

He'd be eaten alive by half the idiots and villains
that manage clubs these days !!!

He's too nice ...

He'd stick to the rules ...

Players would walk all over him ...

Can you imagine him in a confrontation with
Fergie, Mourinho and Wenger !!!

They would chew him up and spit him out !!!!!

He's a coach and nothing more.

I'd also like to point out that where it says the
'money from his testimonial is going .........'
it should say:

"Ole was due to collect £2m from his own
testimonial - but instead he has taken the
choice to give it away to the unfortunate
kids in Africa !!!!!!".

He may be a quiet and diminutive little guy -
but he stands head and shoulders above
any other player I have ever known,
based on what he did with that cash.

 

[hawky94]

Ole Solksjaer, what a career, but however I think he should wait a year before he thinks about management, but good luck Ole

 

[asaf cohen]

he can be the new assistant manager or am i wrong in thinking the post has been filled?

 

[Keano016]

About 6 months ago a guy at work said "Who do you think will be the next United manager?"

The last person I would have said would have been Ole, but now, after hearing all people talking about how good he is at reading a game and how much respect he has from players it is looking more and more likely that it COULD happen!

Watch this space!

 

[CHEZM]

Ole can be a great manager as long as he is not managing the same players whom he played with - it can be difficult to have professional distance with players whom you at one time saw as your mates.

The assistant manager is a good starting point for him and, no doubt through time, he will make a good manager for Utd.

 

[Jazz 16]

About 6 months ago a guy at work said "Who do you think will be the next United manager?"

The last person I would have said would have been Ole, but now, after hearing all people talking about how good he is at reading a game and how much respect he has from players it is looking more and more likely that it COULD happen!

Watch this space!

Wow, I never thought about that at all. Could Ole make a great United manager?
Who knows? Lets see how he gets on with the reserves first.