Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Q&A transcript
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sat down with British print journalists to discuss a number of Man Utd topics including Paul Pogba, transfers and their new signings.
By
Samuel Luckhurst
17 JUL 2019
The day before
Manchester United's pre-season friendly with Leeds United in Perth,
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sat down with British print journalists at the team hotel to discuss a range of topics ahead of the new
season.
Question: This must be different to pre-season with Molde?
Solskjaer: Of course it's different. When you're at Manchester United, everything is different, but I'm used to this from before. But of course it has moved on since I left as well. Everything. The fans, and football in general, it's bigger, there's more media interest, so it's nice.
Do you sense the camp is now revived after the poor end to last season?
It was disappointing, the last few months, obviously, but they've come back and it's been really encouraging. You didn't expect anything else though. You expected them to come back with a little bit of grit, but it's only two weeks into the pre-season and its been very encouraging.
Has it been as encouraging as you'd hoped?
Yeah. Sometimes you expect players to be more negative and maybe we've been too kind to them, because they've not moaned enough! So maybe the pre-season hasn't been hard enough. I can still remember when I wasn't able to walk down the stairs. You had to walk backwards and all this, but I don't think we've had them there yet.
You've been clear on the style of play you want. Do you feel by the end of tour you'll have that?
I would think so and that's obviously the aim now, to put the fitness in to everyone and get everyone fit for August 11. But it's after the first international break, that's when the games come thick and fast. You can almost call it pre-season, the first month of the season, because with the first four or five games there are no midweek games, so it's still build-up time, time to build a foundation, and we needed it, because the stats have shown we haven't been up there. But there's been a big improvement. Like Scott [McTominay] said, they haven't had sessions like this the last few pre-seasons.
Can we expect a transformation in the way United look on the pitch?
You've got opposition that wants to play as well. But we have a clear aim and we want to look a certain way. We know it's going to take time. It might not be a transformation like [clicks fingers] 'wow, that's a new team', but I think most of us saw the intention on Saturday [against Perth Glory]. We want to play on the front foot, but you can't do that for 90 minutes in 38 league games, that's hard in the Premier League.
United started their pre-season tour with a 2-0 win over Perth Glory
Is there a disconnect between players and fans?
I think it was a mentally draining season, and physically, but mentally because there were ups and downs and especially when you change manager right in the middle. We got a boost with the first few games, won a few, then got a few injuries and towards the end it was flat. It was flat towards the end and there are many reasons for that. We've just got to make sure we get more consistency.
Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho failed - what makes you can think you can succeed?
It depends on what you think is success. They won trophies. I've admired Jose, Louis and David [Moyes] - admired them because I was still a player when they were successful managers. We're all different. I think they were more on the pitch, really on the pitch. That type of coach. I've got some great coaches and will do most of the coaching work. We're all different and we've all got different management styles.
Mourinho and Van Gaal both won trophies with United
Two have come in, and two have gone out - did you expect more change by this stage of pre-season?
I know it's hard getting players in and over the line. We've been doing our jobs. We've been finding, identifying players. Scouting them. But they have got clubs. It took time with Aaron, it took time with Dan, but they got it over the line. It's not like we're going to sign 10 players. It can't be a quick fix. As I've said to you, we're working on one or two and we're still hoping but I also understand that the market has changed. Prices have soared.
Is there a United tax? United always seem to end up paying more for players.
We have been linked with so many players. I am sure you don’t believe every single player that we have been linked with. But I think that Man United sometimes have, because of the wealth, maybe we have had to pay more, a bigger premium to get players in and that’s just the world we live in. And we have taken our time, and we are not going to overpay but we have to get the right people in, the right players.
Harry Maguire is a target for United
Will there be a maximum of four in, then?
No there’s never any maximum because there are players here that are coming into pre-season as well that are, 'I might just have a look at him again because if he has changed as I think he has and it looks like, he might have a career here'.
You said after the Everton defeat you will be successful at the club but some of the players won't. Are you reconsidering your opinion on some of those players?
On certain players yeah, you do reconsider your… because there are only 11 players on the pitch and there are only 25 players in the squad that you can get into that squad but it’s… and let’s see three or four years down the line where we’re at if I have been successful and who’s there and it’s going to take time. It’s going to take time for players to buy into this and to see I’m not part of the plans, I might have to go.
Solskjaer was appalled by the performance at Goodison Park in April
How long will it be until you are title challengers again?
I would like to be an optimist and I am always an optimist and let’s see how we start off and how close we get this season and let’s get to. A successful season is if we win a trophy at this club. That’s a good season. You have got to aim for trophies. But you can’t really… you want to say Premier League, you want to say Europa League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, maybe in that order, but I am not going to how do you say it? Discard? I am not going to say that we can’t but it’s not what we expect straight away. But these players, if we get the consistency and get them margins hopefully we can get David [de Gea] over the line and signed and we might be contenders, who knows?
With the Europa League, is that a trophy you really want to win and how will you approach it in terms of the team?
Yeah, I think that it'll be a chance for some of the young ones, definitely. Then again, it's a great chance of qualifying for the Champions League for next season, so I think you'll see quite a few of the young 'uns you've seen already, they are exciting and we need to blood them in the right tournament. And it depends on who you play, it depends on the stage of the tournament, group stages, every weekend is a possibility, you can't plan three months down the line.
United won the Europa League in 2017
Is the Europa League just as good a route back into the Champions League as the Premier League?
It is a route but in cup competitions you never know, it's the luck of the dice, it's post and in, post and out, it's over the season and if we can get the consistency in the league and get a settled team in the league, I'm sure we've got a chance of getting closer to the top two and let's see how close.
Are fans more accepting that you won't be right at the top in 12 months?
Our fans know about football, they know football, many have followed, as you say, successful years. But there have been many who have been before that as well, you probably don't see them on Twitter or social media, so you don't see them as much. And the young ones that have just had the success are maybe like, 'Where's that?' But the Premier League has changed, you have to say City, how good they were last year, Liverpool won the Champions League, Tottenham in the final, Chelsea and Arsenal. So when I played there were two - us and Arsenal - for a long, long time. And then Chelsea came.
Solskjaer was involved in tussles with Arsenal as a player
Do you feel like you're a long way behind City and Liverpool?
It did feel like it towards the end of last season but it didn't feel like it in the beginning when I came in. And in the 21 games we had when I came in, we were still third in that 21 period. And that is including that bad spell at the end. So there are teams, it was only those two that were consistent, so we're still third in that respect.
How about in the game against City in April?
They were better than us, definitely. But there are chances, and listening to the coaching staff, we were closer than we were years before. They felt that was a better performance than a couples of times before. But they were exceptional last season, I have to admit that.
Meeting challenges, is catching City a challenge you can win?
I think we have got to focus on ourselves. I don't think I can look at Liverpool or City and think, 'they are doing it this way'. We have got to focus on us and I believe in these players. They have shown me what they are capable of. They have also shown me some negative sides, which we have got to work on; better habits, get consistency in training, which will get consistency in the games and results. So, yeah, you look at those two clubs, Klopp and Pep, and as I said about Jose and Louis. I have no problem saying good things about people, and they are good coaches, good managers, and we have to find our own way. We can't do it their way, we have to focus on what is going on at this club.
City beat United 2-0 at Old Trafford in April (Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Figures at the club have been impressed by your discipline, what did you make of Jesse Lingard's holiday video?
That has been dealt with internally. I am old school, old-fashioned, quite big on discipline. I am quite big on self-discipline and I can't spoon feed all these players, they have got to do it themselves. Of course I have had many, many years at this club and I have seen which players have been successful and those characters. You have got to be a strong character to play here. It is not like I can tell pass from A to B to C to D. They have to make their own decisions, and in life as well.
At the fans’ event in Perth and said you could do with a player/leader like Bryan Robson. Something you feel like you’re missing?
From the talks I've had with many managers and coaches from my generation, when we played, I think it’s a general society thing as well that there are less Robbos and Keanos around. It’s the same in Norway. We’re all too comfortable. Life is so comfortable. It’s easy now when you’re an academy player you make so much money. ‘Well I've made it’. And the parents live through their kids. I think that’s a general society thing and I said it, of course, stood next to Robbo. I admired Robbo, I've heard Gary [Neville], [David] Becks, all them talk about Robbo, I played with Keano and I think any manager in the world would say I would love to have one who is that type of leader. Look at City: [Vincent] Kompany. Who knows what will happen? Because he was a fantastic human being, player and leader. So someone else has to step up. And someone else has to step up for us.
Robson and Keane were teammates in 1993-94
One of your big players obviously is Paul Pogba - how confident are you that you can put this unsettled summer he’s had behind you and get him back on side for next season?
I've said many times about Paul that he’s a top, top boy and a great player and he’s never, ever been a problem. When we get him playing as he did when I came in, and if we get him playing like that again, he will even win youse over as well!
Are there any circumstances where Pogba will be sold - what’s the situation now?
I've got to be careful - I can’t dive into all this and hypothetical questions and all that. But we’ve not had offers. I can say the same about whichever player. If we don’t get an offer for a player we would have to pay them out for them not to be here, don’t we, so we haven’t had offers.
Last season, after speaking to him, you were convinced he wanted to be successful here - then he goes on holiday and says he wants a new challenge? Is that personally upsetting to you?
No. I’ve not been upset by anything he’s said because we’ve had many conversations and I know exactly what Paul is thinking. I can give him a new challenge.
Solskjaer oversaw a superb run of form from Pogba last season
Pogba could be part of something big here?
Many of these players haven’t felt the winning feeling at this club, what it is to be at this club when you win. Yes David [de Gea] won the league, Ash [Young] has won the league and Phil Jones and Chris Smalling they have won the league here. But it’s not been consistent like we were, then this club is a fantastic place to be. Jesse, Marcus, Paul, Andreas, the ones that have been in the academy when I was playing, when we went on that run early on some of them said, ‘wow we have never had this feeling before'. But for me, the gaffer would say, ‘we need to win ten straight games to win the league, that’s not much to ask is it? Ten games in a row?’ And it wasn’t. That is the feeling I had all the time, we can win the next ten. And they felt in that period invincible and that is the winning feeling we want to create again.
Fellaini and Herrera have left, are you comfortable with your midfield like it is - you've got James Garner coming through?
Jimmy is young, he's very young - only 18 - so you can’t expect too much from him but you can see he is going to be a top player. Andy (Pereira) I expect a lot more from, Scotty I expect a lot more from. Those two between them had maybe 15, 20 starts last season. You expect them to have at least 20 each this season, maybe even more. That’s maybe two players into one that can replace Ander.
United players mob James Garner after his goal against Perth Glory (Image: Getty Images)
City have signed Rodri – how long before you can reach that level of recruitment?
You had that question earlier on: 'How long is it going to take?' I can’t say x amount of months or years before we are where they are. We've just got to focus on improving every day at this club. I know the difference between a post in and a post out. That’s not a lot but it means so much at the end with the points if you win or lose that game.
If you end up selling Lukaku will you bring someone in?
If we sell players we will have to replace them.
What’s your feeling on the technical director? Bit of a drawback not having one this year?
I have a direct line to Ed [Woodward] and Matt [Judge] – and Mick (Court). We are quite close in that respect. If there is someone in between us, technical director call it whatever you like, I’m happy with that either way because it’s not going to be too big a difference. We do have our process on how we scout players now, but once in a while you have to act quickly.
Solskjaer and Woodward watch on
Recruitment has been a problem for the club for a number of years?
It’s never a problem – a challenge…
But compared to the rivals you’re trying to catch, does something need to change?
That’s your opinion. I can only talk from my period. I wanted Aaron and Dan James.
Were they first-choice targets?
They were very high targets. Aaron was a top target. We can’t expect Dan to be David Beckham or Ryan Giggs straightaway but he will be a top player. He’s not a £70million player, no, but he’ll be worth it.
James and Wan-Bissaka joined United last month
Can you get Sanchez back to his best?
I will have to help. I've just answered a question here that you can’t spoon feed them. They’ve got to come in and grab their chances and Alexis is quality and he showed it in the Copa America. Then he got his injury. I don’t think it’s too bad, so I’m hoping he will be available for maybe Kristiansund or AC Milan, so he will at least get some football before the season starts.
He got 30 goals in a season for Arsenal as a centre forward, is that something you'd consider doing next season?
The way we hope we are going to play, it doesn't have to be a 6ft4 striker, so Alexis can be part of that forward line.
Are you planning for him to be here this season?
At the moment, yes I am.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sat down with British print journalists to discuss a number of Man Utd topics including Paul Pogba, transfers and their new signings.
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