What Now For Manchester United After Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's 100 Games At The Helm, Over Seven Years Since Ferguson's Departure
It will always be one heck of a task finding the right successor to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United because the standard has been set so high and the managers employed after the Scot's retirement will attest to the truth in this statement.
Manchester United, undisputably one of the top teams in European Football and one of the most prominent in the Premier league having been crowned champions more times (20) than any other team in the English top division.
A club, which dominated the later and the early part of the past and the present centuries respectively thanks to their legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who helped the club win 38 silverware, including 13 Premier League titles and two UEFA Champions League crown in his 25 years managing the club.
United, also known for parading superstars of the beautiful game having been represented by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Eric Cantona, Sir Bobby Charlton, Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and more. The club was a dream for any young footballer looking to make name and fame in the sport.
After the conclusion of the 2012-13 season, in which Manchester United won their last Premier League title, manager Sir Alex Ferguson announced his retirement, bringing an end to what has been a successful spell with the Manchester club and a productive personal career.
It was the start of a new journey as Manchester United moved on with the appointment of David Moyes on a six years contract. It was reported that the Scot had been hand-picked by his predecessor, Alex Ferguson, who saw his fellow countryman as the rightful one to take the club forward.
It started well for the former Everton boss when he became the first Manchester United manager to win a trophy outright in his first season in charge as his side beat Wigan Athletic to lift the Community Shield in August 2013.
However, it did not last long nor ended well as the current West Ham United manager was sacked before the end of his first year at the club, overseeing 51 games (27 wins, nine losses, 15 draws), with a winning percentage of 52.94. It was such a bad spell that Manchester Evening called the decision to appoint David Moyes as Ferguson's second biggest mistake as Manchester United manager.
Ahead of the 2014-15 season, the club opt for a more decorated manager and appointed Dutch tactician Louis Van Gaal. United were surely a team on the decrease after the new manager conceded to have inherit a broken squad.
Even after over £130m spent in the summer of 2014, which saw the arrival of stars like Angel Di Maria among others, Manchester United's start to the season was a poor one as they were knocked out in the second round of the League Cup with a 4-0 loss to League one side MK Dons, they also managed just 13 points after 10 league games which is United's worst start to a season since 1986-87.
Nevertheless, at the end of that campaign, it was an improvement compared to the previous campaign as United made the top four with a fourth place finish.
A busy summer followed suit and Memphis Depay, Matteo Darmian, Sergio Romero, Morgan Schneiderlin, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Anthony Martial all arrived at the club. However, the failure of these players to replicate the form that made United signed from their respective clubs contributed to Van Gaal's failure at Manchester United, they did win the FA Cup, a consolation for finishing in a champions league place.
Louis Van Gaal was sacked a couple of days after winning his only silverware for Manchester United. The Dutchman left with a winning percentage of 52.43 in the 103 games managed over two season at the club.
In came one of the best managers in the game ahead of the 2016-17 season, Jose Mourinho was brought in on a three-year contract. The Portuguese won his first trophy with United in a 2-1 win over Leicester City in the Community Shield before the new season kick off.
By the end of the season, Mourinho won the EFL Cup, becoming first Manchester United manager to win a major trophy in his first season, beating Southampton 3-2 in the final at Wembley. It got better for the former Real Madrid manager when his side clinched the Europa League by beating Ajax 2-0 in the final.
These couple of Cup success overshadowed the fact that Manchester United actually finished sixth in the league, and 24 points behind champions Chelsea, that season.
However, Mourinho's Manchester United were exposed in the following season when they played in the more competitive UEFA champions league and were eliminated by Sevilla in the round of 16, while also finishing 19 points behind league winners and city rivals, Manchester City, even though they were just a place off the champions. Another loss to Chelsea in the FA Cup final means United finished the season without a silverware.
Few months into the 2018-19 season, Mourinho began to fallout with the club's fans and management. He was eventually shown the exit door in December 2018, leaving with the best winning percentage for Manchester United, 58.33% in 144 games, since Alex Ferguson's departure.
Current manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed as caretaker manager to see the club through the rest of the 2018-19 season. Things started with five wins on the bounce and the Norwegian becomes the first Manchester United manager to achieve this feat since Sir Matt Busby in 1946.
United's impressive form in his early days saw him won the Premier League Manager of the Month in January, becoming the first Manchester United manager to win the award since Sir Alex Ferguson in October 2012.
Having won 14 out of 19 games managed, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was rewarded with a three-year contract, to take over as permanent manager. Manchester United finished sixth and third in the two season completed by the former Molde coach, recording 66 points in both seasons.
The dismal ending to the last campaign saw them lost three semi finals. They have also started the new season rather poorly and are yet to win in the league at Old Trafford this season. With 10 points from a possible 21 so far, they occupy 14th position on the log, with minus two goal difference.
They have also been inflicted their joint heaviest defeat (1_6) in the league when Tottenham Hotspur run riot at the theatre of dreams back in October, lost to Arsenal at home in the league for the first time since 2006 and lost their first league match of the season to Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.
These run of poor results have put Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at risk of losing his job, with a number of Manchester United legends questioning his tactics and player management. However, his side did beat PSG and RB Leipzig in the champions league, only to be beaten by İstanbul Basaksehir on matchday three.
Expert have explained that United, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's counter attacking style of play, are bound find joy when playing better teams that value possession of the ball but will be frustrated by teams who don't possess the ball. This explain their success when they take on better oppositions. Take for example, Manchester United did the double over their city rivals, Manchester City last campaign.
After 102 games with Manchester United as a manager, 56 have ended in victories, 21 in draws and 25 in defeats, and a winning percentage of 54.90, it could be said that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a downgrade on predecessor Jose Mourinho, who had a better winning percentage with the club.
Where Do Manchester United Go From Here ?
A team stacked up with quality players, play beautiful football today and go back to mediocre display on the next days. Whenever the manager's job is on the line, United come up with unbelievable performances but cool off as the pressure is relieved on the boss.
Lack of consistency by senior figures in the team, questionable decisions by the manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has also recieved criticisms for handing the captaincy duty to Harry Maguire, despite having longer serving players in the squad.
In the long run, the Norwegian might not be the best man to take Manchester United forward due to his poor decision making and might be shown the exit door before the end of the current campaign if the inconsistency persist as the season proceeds.
Manchester United meanwhile, take on newly promoted West Bromwich Albion after the International break and will be looking to build on their last result, a 3-1 win away at Everton, and earn their first league win at Olt Trafford this season.
Afolabi Kehinde Hassan
Ole as to think outside the box if he wants to succeed at old trafford
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