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They say change is the only constant in life and one only has to ask a Manchester United fan these days to know what that feels like. It's only been five and a half years since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down as manager of the club but that seems like such a distant memory these days.
The period after Ferguson's retirement was never going to be easy, for neither the club nor the fans and the fact that United are under their fifth manager in the post-Ferguson era show the magnitude of the task. After the appointments of David Moyes and Louis Van Gaal failed to have the desired effect, Jose Mourinho was believed to be the one who would take United back to their former glory. And the Portuguese manager did have his moments under the sun at Old Trafford but it came at a heavy price (like it usually does in his case.)
What Solskjær has brought to Manchester United so far
So, here we are again, with United now under the stewardship of Ole Gunnar Solskjær. Though the Norwegian has only been at the helm for three matches, he certainly seems to be making the right noises as United's caretaker boss. First and foremost, he has immediately cleared the toxic atmosphere left behind by Mourinho's departure and replaced it with a much safer and relaxed environment.
Secondly, Solskjær has given his United squad a license to go out and express themselves on the pitch. And this certainly has been the case with Paul Pogba, in particular. A lot has been said about the Frenchman's untenable relationship with Mourinho during the latter's final few months in charge of United, with some reports even suggesting that Pogba may have played a part to play in Mourinho's departure.
But with Mourinho now gone, Pogba seems a completely different player. In fact, he has been United's best player during Solskjær's brief spell in charge, so far. And as a direct consequence of that, United look like a completely rejuvenated side on the whole. The former Juventus man has been at the heart of United's mini-renaissance with 4 goals and 3 assists in Solskjær's first three games. This kind of form also suggests that maybe Mourinho was the problem at United and not Pogba.
But the aspect that has stood out the most about Solskjær's tactics so far, is that he is keen on playing a brand of football that is extremely reminiscent of United's glory days. But it should not really come as a surprise since the now caretaker manager openly declared that he built his coaching philosophy on that of Alex Ferguson's. To add to this, Solskjær shares a very good relationship with the former Red Devils boss and one can expect the Scotsman to help out his protege whenever he is in need of advice.
The Bigger Picture
In the larger scheme of things, Solskjær's role at United is not just to ensure that the club finishes in the top 4 this season. Rather, it is to bring back the stability and consistency that the club has not since the days of Alex Ferguson. Though this is a daunting task, the baby-faced assassin will have to do it one game at a time for the rest of the season. But if Solskjær's first few games in charge of United are anything to by, he does seem to have what it takes to bring back both these qualities that have eluded the club for the last five and a half years.
Though he has been in charge of United only for three games, Solskjær seems to have got his basics spot on already. And one can certain that this will serve both Solskjær and United well as they go into a run of challenging fixtures in the coming weeks. Even though United have announced that Solskjær will only be in charge until they announce a permanent manager at the end of the season, if the Norwegian does manage to bring back consistency to United's performances, it will be very hard for the board to overlook him as a serious contender for the post.
Solskjær may not be the most glamorous name in the world of football managers, but he has one thing that none of his counterparts have; an understanding of Manchester United's values as a club. And given that United are looking to regain their former glory, Solskjær might just be the man to help them to the top again, but first, he will have to revive and re-instil the values that the club once stood by.
