The Norwegian, Solskjaer, likens pressure of managing Man Utd as “privilege” as he insists, he is “there to win” following three defeats in four games.
Four months on from that agonizing night in Gdansk and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s failure to deliver his first trophy at Manchester United still hangs over him.
What should have been a moment of celebration in May ended with defeat in a marathon penalty shoot-out to Villarreal. As a result, questions about Solskjaer’s ability to bring back the glory days to Old Trafford have piled instilling the Norwegian into more pressure.
One by one, Solskjaer’s old teammates have warned him he needs tangible proof of the progress he is making or else…
Presented with Neville’s comments on the eve of tonight’s Champions League rematch with Villarreal, Solskjaer took it in good heart and said, “he’s always got loads to say”.
“I’m used to Gary. He’s always said a lot, even when I was sat next to him in the dressing-room. Just fire away”.
Moreover, Solskjaer’s response was to insist he has the backing of the Old Trafford board and there is nothing to suggest he is wrong in that assumption.
However, the 48-year-old also acknowledged that he is in a results business and the simple fact is that results have not been good enough of late.
Conceding a late winner to Young Boys in Switzerland a fortnight ago consigned Solskjaer to his seventh defeat in 11 Champions League games as United boss and has put a very different complexion on what looked like a straightforward Group F.
“The pressure is a privilege”. Continued Solskjaer. “To work in this environment, you have to embrace that pressure”.
“If Gary says we need to win a trophy this season or next because of the backing, I have to say, yes, I have been backed”.
“I have to say the backing I’ve got seems to me that we’re sticking to that plan. But we’re in a results business. I’m here to win, don’t think twice about that, and Gary knows that”.
“He knows the DNA here at the club and what we’re trying to do. Of course, I speak to Gary as well and I know that we have an obligation to win at this club and win in a certain style”.
“Sometimes that’s risky and you lose one or two but we’ll get there. Hopefully we’ll get there around April or May, challenging for the trophies we’d like to see back at Old Trafford”.