A Manchester United insider has insisted that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could be compared with one former Real Madrid manager for his approach to management.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made his sensational return to Old Trafford in 2018 after he was appointed caretaker manager for the remainder of the 2018-19 campaign.
Jose Mourinho was sacked as Manchester United manager and Solskjaer was brought back to the Premier League club to steady the ship for the season.
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However, a sensational run of form for United under the 52-year-old Norwegian former forward saw Solskjaer permanently succeed Jose Mourinho in 2019.
Solskjaer’s reign at United came to an end in the 2021-22 Premier League campaign, with the United legend sacked from his head coach role in November 2021.
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Former Manchester United head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks on during the Conference League match between Besiktas and St Patricks at the Tupras Stadium in 2025 in Istanbul, Turkey.
Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images
Why Man Utd legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could be compared to former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti in one way
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fell short of lifting any major silverware as Manchester United manager, despite enjoying success in other ways in his managerial reign at the club.
United’s famed treble winner led the Red Devils to second place in the Premier League table in the 2020-21 season and to the Europa League final in 2021.
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According to BBC Sport, a United insider opened up about Solskjaer’s reign and revealed that assistant manager Kieran McKenna would lead the training sessions.
However, Solskjaer was comparable to former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti for the way that he would stand and watch the coaching sessions take place.
“People spoke about his philosophy, but training was led by Kieran [McKenna],” the United source told the publication.
“Ole was on the grass but he watched the coaching. In that sense, his methods were similar to Carlo Ancelotti.
“He was brilliant at man-managing the players. The culture was incredible. He was a confidante.
“The players wanted to play for him, and the style of football was what everyone wanted.”
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🥇 Highest Premier League Finish as Manager
Manager Club Highest Finish Season
Carlo Ancelotti 🇮🇹 Chelsea 1st (Champion) 2009/10
Ole Gunnar Solskjær 🇳🇴 Manchester United 2nd 2020/21
What Man Utd was like with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the helm at Old Trafford
Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho are the only two United managers in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era to have led the Red Devils to second place in the Premier League table.
Speaking on Solskjaer’s time at the club as a manager, a United insider told BBC Sport: “He is absolutely far better than many people give him credit for.”
Solskjaer was – and still is – a beloved figure during his time as a player under Sir Alex Ferguson and his aura carried over during his period as United head coach.
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“An optimist to the limit,” an unnamed former United colleague told the news outlet.
“He sees good in everything. It was tiny things, like saying, ‘Good morning, how are you doing?’
“Being human basically. Everything had been on a downer and was very flat.
“People weren’t being themselves. He opened the door and got them to smile again.”
Solskjaer made his long-awaited return to management with Besiktas back in January, but the United legend was sacked by the Super Lig club in August.