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Manchester United handed club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the reigns to the club on an interim basis after things unravelled fast under Mourinho in his third season at the club (surprise surprise!). Many saw this as a temporary change to bring back the feel good factor by appointing a man who knows the "United way" of doing things, after plying his trade under Sir Alex Ferguson for so long. Most people would be lying if they said they expected this complete turnaround of the club, in such a short period. So far United hierarchy has not given in to its urge to jump the gun and announce Solskjaer as the permanent manager right away. Given how the club has rushed its decisions ever since Sir Alex and David Gill stepped down from their roles with the club, one must appreciate the willingness of the club to learn and not jump the gun in a situation where jumping the gun would be understandable given the depths of this remarkable turnaround.
But for once a quick decision might be exactly what the club needs for a change. Here are the top 3 reasons why United should confirm Solskjaer as its permanent manager right away.
#1 Solskjaer has proven he has a smart footballing mind
If the hiring of Solskjaer had been done on the basis of his knowledge and understanding of the game from a managerial point of view, then the club did well to hide it. All the talk about the Solskjaer hiring pointed to it being doneto bring a sense of calm and respect back to the club which had been in a bit of free fall this season. But thorugh various performances, specifically the big games against Tottenham and Chelsea, Solskjaer proved that he has a tactical mind, that once combined with his knowledge of the club makes for a good long term investment for the club.
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#2 Stability while hiring Director of Football role
United have finally recognized the need to differentiate between the football and business aspects of running the club. Ever since the talk of having a Director of Football role has begun, the first candidate on everyone's mind has been another club legend Edwin van der Sar. Van der Sar has done a stellar job with Ajax as their Director of Football and having his former team mate Solskjaer as the long term manager might make it easier to lure him from Ajax as soon as possible. Locking in a long term core of two well liked and competent former players as manager and director of football might solve the instability issue that has plagued the club for half a decade now.
Usually, the club director plays a significant role in the hiring of a club's manager. But Manchester United have never had a Director of Football in the past. So rather than handing the reigns of the club to a new person, to mould the club in his own identity, it is smarter to have the coach and the director work together with a shared vision to maintain the identity of the club and bring in long term success.
#3 Solskjaer's impact among the players
It is crucial for a manager at big clubs, to not only be a good tactician but also a great man-manager and motivator. Sir Alex may not have been a tactician at par with the absolute best managers in the world, although he was close, but his man management skills were second to none. To this day, his players speak glowingly of him and his ability to get the best out of them was the reason Manchester United were the dominant force under him for so long. It was no surprise that once he retired, the same squad proved unplayable by the managers who came after him.
Solskjaer like his mentor, has proven himself to be a fantastic man manager and the level of uptick in performances from the big names at the club has been nothing short of miraculous. Paul Pogba, Victor Lindelof, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford are some of the players who have shown remarkable returns to form under him and more importantly each one of them has credited the manager for the improvements.
#4 Transfer Policy Development
After a January transfer window where United made no singings, summer is when the holes left in the team have to be plugged. A star calibre center back and a right winger are absolutely necessary for the club if they are to challenge the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City for the title next season. Back up on the right back position is also required as Diogo Dalot is being groomed for the long term role in that position.
Giving Solskjaer the permanent role now would enable him to put in place scouts and transfer plans in order and get them done quickly instead of the last minute scramble that saw Mourinho get frustrated with the club hierarchy. Bringing in a new manager, or even waiting too long to appoint Solskjaer might lead to more mess in the transfer market and that is something United will definitely want to avoid.
#5 It is after all the United way
Manchester United, more than any other club in the world, has an infatuation with club morals and identity. Whether it was developed due to the working class origins of the club or due to the identity built by great managers in Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson, the club support base has been clamoring for a return to its identity ever since David Moyes took over. Since then 3 experienced managers have come and gone but the supporters have not enjoyed the football due to the brand of football played.
Under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that has changed and right from his first game a visible change has been observed and the fans have loved every second of it. Results are often secondary for United fans; that is how much the constant success over 3 decades spoiled them; but the way the game is played is primary. Trusting and rewarding Solskjaer, a player much adored by the fans, a cult hero who delivered one of the finest moments in the clubs history, and a manager who has shown great signs in just a few months on the job; with a full time role is as much the United way as the United way can get.
