Does Manchester United have a problem? They are quite good you know, yet they cannot seem to win any trophy to back this feeling up.
The last silverware they hoisted was under the reign of the previous manager at Old Trafford, the Special One; his Europa League victory was not thought highly of at the time, yet when United lost to Villarreal in the UEL final just weeks ago, I guarantee you their fans and front office people would’ve been beyond thrilled to take the trophy home.
In the time since, the club has of course fired Mourinho and hired Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Norwegian former striker under Sir Alex Ferguson has been really good however, with the team finishing high in the table since he took over. Yet this final was his first as a boss, having lost in semifinal after semifinal prior to breaking through against AS Roma, Jose Mourinho’s current-NEWEST-club.
At United, second is nowhere near good enough, and fourth certainly is nothing to even acknowledge. Does the team need further patience and investment, or does the team need a new boss all together?
Ole and Manchester United: As good as it gets?
While it is understood that United aren’t a second place outfit, it is worth asking whether there is a better boss to come in right now that could make United better than City. Perhaps that coach is Antonio Conte although I personally doubt it; perhaps it is Zinedine Zidane, or perhaps it is someone yet to be considered by the media.
In any event, I don’t personally believe this. Ole is a younger coach who has earned his opportunity to build something at his old club. This is not to say he is not without flaws. Is he the best tactician? I don’t think so; I think he often relies on the creative spirit of his players, as United had during his time with the club in the years long gone by.
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Yet the Red Devils have the players to score goals, and if they can shore up just a few more details, namely those in front of Dean Henderson, as well as in the middle of the pitch, we will more adequately be able to judge him against Pep Guardiola and City.
A Jack Grealish, a Jadon Sancho, or someone to that effect, might really put the pressure on the Norwegian to collect a trophy and show some greater Premier League ambition than sitting double digits off of first place. There will be little excuse left as per why a long trip into the Champions League was not endeavored upon, and there will be little sympathy for anything less than a season with at least one domestic trophy, European success and a serious Premier League title chance.
It is not time for United to give up on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but quite the opposite. He must be heavily funded this summer, to see if he is in fact, truly the manager that can lead the club back to where his old boss led the club so many times previously. Should he fail once he is fully backed, then of course, there is time to move on and there can be little argument from any of the involved sides.
Until then however, the team needs to improve and they need to embrace that this is in fact, the Manchester United of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He is a reasonably good boss, and getting rid of him at this stage would be too soon for me, as firing Unai Emery was at Arsenal, and as firing Mauricio Pochettino was at Tottenham. Good things come to those with patience, and Ole has shown that he wants to grow year in and out; he will deliver for this fanbase as he did oh so many years ago, and they will love him for it when he finally does. A bit of romance in football is a beautiful thing of course.