Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reaction: what pundits and the media have said about Man Utd manager sacking

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked by Man Utd on Sunday morning, with Michael Carrick taking interim charge - here’s how key football people have reacted
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After a disastrous defeat against Premier League relegation scrappers Watford on Saturday, Man Utd announced it had sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as manager.

As NationalWorld’s sister title ManchesterWorld has reported, former player Michael Carrick has taken charge of the club on an interim basis.

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Meanwhile, bookmakers have already been giving odds on who Solskjaer’s long-term successor will be.

But how have former players, pundits and the wider media reacted to the Norwegian’s sacking?

Here’s what you need to know.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s former Man Utd teammates have defended him, while pundits have attacked the club’s strategy (image: PA)Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s former Man Utd teammates have defended him, while pundits have attacked the club’s strategy (image: PA)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s former Man Utd teammates have defended him, while pundits have attacked the club’s strategy (image: PA)

Solskjaer defended by ex-teammates

Former Man Utd teammates lined up to wish Ole Gunnar Solskjaer their best following his sacking.

Gary Neville Tweeted that the Norwegian had “restored some soul back to the club” during his tenure.

The pundit has also lambasted Man Utd’s current hierarchy.

Meanwhile, Patrice Evra also praised Solskjaer.

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Fellow former Red Devils forward Michael Owen gave some analysis on what he thought had gone wrong for the manager.

He had tweeted last night that he didn’t see how United could continue with Solskjaer.

In another tweet, Owen said he felt it was the “worst possible time” for Man Utd to be looking for a new boss given the paucity of options out there.

He said one early bookies’ favourite to replace Solskjaer - former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane - might not be an option due to a “language barrier”, adding that he reckons Man Utd will stick with interim manager Michael Carrick until the end of the season.

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Michael Owen was not the only player to be critical of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign.

Rio Ferdinand also said he felt it was the right time for the Norwegian to go.

What have the newspapers said?

News that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could be in trouble was broken by The Sunday Times last night.

The paper revealed a board meeting was due to take place in the wake of the 4-1 loss to Watford at Vicarage Road.

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The Mail on Sunday has reported that United’s key frontman Cristiano Ronaldo would like to see Spain’s national manager and former Barcelona gaffer Luis Enrique appointed as Man Utd boss.

But Ronaldo himself could be the club’s biggest problem according to Guardian writer Jonathan Wilson, who also described the club as “institutionally dysfunctional”.

Wilson’s views were echoed by fellow Guardian columnist Jonathan Liew, who argues that Man Utd have not learnt from their previous mistakes in the post-Ferguson era.

The Sun on Sunday described Solskjaer’s sacking as “brutal” and reported that Man Utd will pay £7.5m to Solskjaer as part of its severance package.

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Chief football correspondent at The Daily Telegraph Jason Burt criticised United’s caretaker manager strategy and said interim boss Michael Carrick should not be afraid to step out from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s shadow.

Meanwhile, the Mirror’s chief football writer John Cross wrote that the club should no longer accept its drift towards mediocrity, and ought to make a “big, bold and ambitious” appointment to replace the Norwegian manager.

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