It’s often said that the nice guys don’t come first and, perhaps, that rings true as far as Manchester United manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is concerned.
The Norwegian is clearly a popular appointment, however, the Red Devils still haven’t managed to acquire any silverware under his tutelage.
Some excellent summer signings will certainly boost United’s chances of finally breaking their duck under their former striker, but one pundit believes that the Old Trafford outfit will never amount to much under Solskjaer, who has been labelled as a pale imitation of his managerial contemporaries in the English top-flight.
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“The argument I have is that, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is probably the loveliest man on the planet, he’s probably got backbone and character, but put him up against Thomas Tuchel, put him up against Jurgen Klopp, put him up against Pep Guardiola and he’s a pale imitation,” talkSPORT‘s Simon Jordan noted.
“Of course he’s got mental fortitude, of course he’s got strength of character, but that’s not the argument being advanced and those things can’t supersede talent, they can run alongside it.
“When it comes down to it, there’s a way of communicating, there’s a way of producing a side, there is a way of dealing with the media, there’s a way of dealing with a football club, it illustrates a certain talent and I don’t think he has that.
“I think his communication skills leave a little to be desired.
“When I listened to him talking to the cheerleader chorus of Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole and I thought to myself that I was listening to a very lightweight individual that doesn’t give me any feeling of gravitas.
“If United fans are happy with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and believe in the project he is undertaking, which will probably be completed to coincide with the finishing of the Doomsday Book, as an outsider who am I to say anything different?”
Though Jordan is an outspoken presence, he always backs up his points with reasoned argument and he’s bang on the money again with his assessment of the Norwegian.
Solskjaer at least has a whole season to prove Jordan, and others who want to take pot shots at him, wrong.