Ex-Man Utd boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirms return to football with new job after rejecting TWO Saudi offers
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER has confirmed that he wants to return to management.
The Norwegian was axed by Manchester United in November 2021 following nearly three years in charge.
GettyOle Gunnar Solskjaer has opened up on his future in management[/caption]
Solskjaer, 50, has not managed another team since – and has instead enjoyed coaching his youngest son Elijah’s youth team back in his native Norway.
Speaking to The Athletic, he said: “It’s lovely being with my youngest son Elijah, just as it was when I coached our eldest son Noah after I was sacked at Cardiff — and our daughter Karna just before I joined Man United.
“To be able to turn offers down that I didn’t feel 100 per cent about to spend time with my family is a privilege. When you manage Manchester United, you sacrifice all of that.”
On what he’s been up to since leaving Old Trafford, Solskjaer added: “I’m doing a lot of coaching, four times per week, and we have three teams.
“I’m helping the kids, who enjoy it. You see a different side to football, the grassroots – except it’s all plastic pitches here. You see the brightness in their eyes, they listen to you, they want to learn.
“But you start to miss it (professional football) when you see the games, either in person or on television. Since I left United, I’ve travelled around as a fan with my kids, going to places like Napoli, Milan and Dortmund to experience games. We loved it.”
Solskjaer went on to admit that he wants to return to football management, and that he turned down offers from Saudi Arabia over the summer.
Asked if he has ambitions to manage professionally again, he said: “Yes, and I’ve had offers. Most recently, two from Saudi Arabia. My best mate, who is also my agent, sifts through them.
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“If you’ve managed Man United, you put your own criteria about what you want to work with.
“I love England and the Premier League. Even the Championship feels stronger than ever, but I don’t feel bound to England. Maybe a different challenge where I need to experience a new culture and learn a new language.
“The DNA and identity of the club are important, a club where I can be the best me. It has to be a match.
“Maybe I made the wrong decision to go to Cardiff, for example, where there was a clash of identities and styles.
“What I miss most is working with good people, coming in every day, discussing football and putting a plan together for the next game. It’s not just about formations, but creating a culture where the staff enjoy their job and building a team together.”
Unfortunately, it has not worked out
Solskjaer on Jadon Sancho
During the interview, Solskjaer also opened up on Jadon Sancho, having signed the winger for £73million in the summer of 2021.
Discussing the 23-year-old, who is currently in United exile under Erik ten Hag, Solskjaer said: “Unfortunately, it has not worked out.
“When he arrived, he had to go to hospital and that was a setback as he couldn’t start the first games.
“He’s immensely talented and we haven’t seen the best of him. I hope we do, but he prefers to play left wing… where Marcus (Rashford) plays.”
Solskjaer signed Jadon Sancho in 2021Getty
