New Telegraph

Is it time up for Ole?

These are definitely not the best of times for Manchester United supporters as they squirm, watching their once-proud team become a pale shadow of the side that dominated the game of football, both domestically in England and beyond. Dubbed the ‘beautiful game’ by erstwhile FIFA President Sepp Blatter, the game is no more beautiful for millions of Red Devils’ supporters as the team, that almost constantly swept all before them in the 90s and mid 2000 with lovely attacking football, has gone into its shell now, playing safety first football, because they do not want to lose. Unfortunately, even this, which is totally against the ethos of the great United sides of the past, has not helped as they were completely outclassed and outplayed in two recent league games against their fiercest rivals – first Liverpool and then Manchester City.

United then got lucky the following weekend, when they faced a terrible Tottenham Hotspur, who allowed the Red Devils leave London with all three points, courtesy of an easy 3-0 victory. Thus, going into last weekend’s tie with their cross-town rivals, City it appeared that United had gained some momentum and while not many expected a home win, they, however, still believed that the Red Devils will definitely not capitulate.

But sadly, that is exactly what happened. And although the game ended 2-0, the result masked the one sided nature of the contest, if it could even be called one, in which the Citizens totally played their rivals of the park. But for some truly inspiring goalkeeping by David de Gea, the Red Devils would have suffered another hiding, as United fans could only watch in envy as City went through the motions and never needed to get out of second gear in inflicting a fourth defeat on the home team, to leave them in sixth spot, nine points behind the leaders, Chelsea after only 11 matches. Unfortunately, the man being blamed for the sorry state of the 20 times champions is none other than the hero of their dramatic 1999 2-1 Champions League triumph over Bayern Munich, Ole Gunnar Solskjær. In hindsight, it was never supposed to have gotten to this. In turning to the man they called the ‘Baby faced assassin’ during his playing days, it was felt that having spent 11 years under the tutelage of the club’s greatest ever manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, he would bring back the glory days to Old Trafford after the toxic era of Jose Mourinho because he understood the club’s ‘DNA’. Incidentally, since 2013, the club has struggled to fill the massive void left by the retirement of Sir Alex, with four managers failing to come anywhere near Britain’s most successful club boss. During his 27-stint with United, he won a staggering 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups, 10 Community Shields, two UEFA Champions Leagues, and One World Club Cup amongst other honours.

However, some schools of thought blame him for the problems United is facing now, arguing that his long trophy-laden stay meant that it was always going to be a difficult act to follow – especially as coaches are not likely to be given time like he was. Not many will remember, but when Sir Alex first joined from Scotland’s Aberdeen, he failed to win anything in his first three years, and according to reports, the United hierarchy was already considering a replacement, when he won the FA Cup in his fourth year, and then followed up with a continental trophy, the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1991. They back this line of thought up citing Arsenal and Arsene Wenger, who just like his Glasgow opposite number, held a vicelike grip of proceedings while in charge of the Gunners. However, he was able to stay for 22 years because he was winning things in his early years with the club. Alas, just like United, since his departure the Gunners have been floundering.

But for United fans, the anguish has been more profound because they have become used to success, which Sir Alex almost guaranteed them on a yearly basis. Many die-hards still remember his famous quote of vowing to knock Liverpool off its perch as the dominant club in England. And before he left, he had made that vow a reality, overtaking the Reds’ league haul of 18 (then) by guiding United to 20. Back in the day, we (United fans) could only watch in envy as Liverpool won league title after league title and also triumphed in Europe while they held sway in the 70s and 80s.

Now, the Reds have once again supplanted the Red Devils, especially in recent years, finally ending their long wait for their first Premier League title, and also conquering Europe both in 2019. Unfortunately for United, unlike back in the day when Liverpool were the sole poster boys, they now have to contend with others like Chelsea and their city rivals, whom Sir Alex once famously called “our noisy neighbours”! The team from the blue half of Manchester are no longer noisy but are now an established powerhouse, playing the kind of football once enjoyed at the Theatre of Dreams.

The performance of both Liverpool and City at Old Trafford rammed home the vast gulf between the home side and the visiting teams placing Ole’s ability to match the Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel under further scrutiny. Although one is loath to admit it, but under the 1999 hero, it looks highly unlikely that Manchester United will be able to close the gap. Almost three years to the day he took over from Mourinho in December 2018, no one can point to a discerning pattern of play from United, despite the vast money spent on acquiring talent. So far, his bosses have refused to bow to public pressure and dispense with his services, but his task will not get any easier especially with a number of his former teammates now going public with their reservations. On Tuesday Rio Ferdinand, who was part of the 1999 team, called for his teammate to “hand over the baton”.

Speaking on his Vibe with Five You- Tube show, Ferdinand said it might be time for the Norwegian to leave the Old Trafford club, adding he “would leave with his head held high”. Ferdinand says he is left “confused” when he watches Solskjaer’s side. “I look at our team every week and wonder what we are going to do, tactically,” added the 43-year-old, who won six league titles in 12 years at United.

“I don’t see any philosophy or an identity in the United way of playing, whatever that should be from the management. I sit here confused looking at the team.” As things stand, there is no guarantee that a change will bring any immediate improvement but sadly Ole is getting to the point where anyone but him will improve the mood of United fans – just like Arsenal fans wanted a certain Wenger out! But until the hierarchy finally decide to pull the plug or Ole miraculously gets his side playing to their full potential, I like millions of other United fans can only continue “suffer and smile”

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