Michael Carrick has been appointed as Manchester United head coach until the end of the season despite former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer being a frontrunner for the role
Simon Jordan speaks on talkSPORT
Simon Jordan has a theory as to why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was snubbed for the Manchester United job(Image: talkSPORT)
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Simon Jordan reckons Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was knocked back for the Manchester United job because he would've only been appointed for his popularity. The Norwegian was at the helm at Old Trafford for almost three years from 2018 until 2021.
After Ruben Amorim's departure, United finally have a new head coach who will lead them until the end of the season. Darren Fletcher had crewed the ship for two matches, a 2-2 draw with Burnley and an FA Cup loss to Brighton, but Michael Carrick now takes over.
Carrick has been in charge at United before, taking over when Solskjaer was sacked in November 2021. He won two of his three games as caretaker boss and drew the third.
The Norwegian was for a long time in an assumed pole position to take over from Amorim in the interim, but Carrick got the nod instead. Ex-Crystal Palace chairman Jordan believes Solskjaer was snubbed because hiring him would not have been considered progressive, and people simply liking him did not justify his recruitment.
"Carrick did a good job at Middlesbrough. But it's interesting, when I was speaking to most people last week, there were various people finding out whether Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in the frame," began Jordan on talkSPORT.
"Mike Phelan hadn't been contacted. And there is this thought process that Phelan and Solskjaer travel together, as we've seen previously.
Michael Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Solskjaer was United manager for nearly three years(Image: Getty)
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"So, whether they have reacted to the public backlash or the perception of people criticising the fact that this appointment hadn't worked previously, and you'd be going back without any innovation.
"Or whether Carrick… Because I heard that Carrick wants to be a coach, wants to be a No. 2, doesn't want to be a frontman. But he clearly did a decent job at Middlesbrough. Clearly he's a sensible head.
"It looks different, and that's I think one of the criticisms about Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Not against Ole, I have my own views on whether he's a good manager or not.
"But because it didn't look particularly, in any shape or form, like there was any thinking behind it. 'Oh, okay, that looks like a popular fit and everyone likes him. He's unchallenging in people's minds.'
Michael Carrick poses for a photograph
Carrick is the new interim United head coach(Image: Getty)
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"That might well be the challenge that Man United have to do now, which is keep on playing to an optic rather than getting an outcome. We'll see. As I say, Carrick has done a decent job at Middlesbrough, but Man United is a whole different ball game."
Carrick is confident he can get the best out of his United players, however, as he said upon being appointed as head coach: "Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honour.
"I know what it takes to succeed here; my focus is now on helping the players to reach the standards that we expect at this incredible club, which we know that this group is more than capable of producing."