In a candid interview, former Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic has expressed his belief that ex-Red Devils boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, warranted a longer tenure at Old Trafford. The Norwegian was dismissed from his managerial duties in late November 2021, in favour of interim boss Ralf Rangnick.
Despite penning a new three-year deal just a few months prior, a string of five losses in seven Premier League fixtures proved catastrophic for Solskjaer, culminating in a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Watford. Following Solskjaer’s departure, Manchester United’s performance hardly saw improvement under Rangnick’s interim management.
During Solskjaer’s reign, the club claimed second and third place finishes in the Premier League and made a notable run to the Europa League final in May 2021. Matic, who played under four different managers during his time at United, praised Solskjaer for his contributions and insisted he deserved more time at the club.
Reflecting on Solskjaer’s management, Matic told FourFourTwo: “We finished second and third under him. There was an atmosphere in the team that we weren’t happy finishing second, but when you see the results now, we did amazingly. I think Ole deserved more time—along with his staff, like Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna. They were steering United in the right direction.”
Matic continued, “The decision to sack Ole was based on a few poor results, but he was a remarkable person with the right profile for United. He and his team understood football with meticulous training. It was unfortunate because we were on the cusp of achieving something significant.”
Solskjaer, a revered figure at the club, had previously unveiled a trio of transfer recommendations which the club failed to capitalise on, including Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, and Declan Rice. Speaking on the “Stick To Football” podcast, Solskjaer revealed his attempts to bring these talents to Old Trafford, which were ultimately in vain.
As Manchester United continues to navigate through fluctuating periods of success, the echoes of Solskjaer’s legacy linger, punctuated by the endorsements from players who served under his management.
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