Ole Gunnar Solskjaer press conference: Full transcript as new Manchester United boss meets media for first time

The 45-year-old met the press for the first time since being appointed as manager following Jose Mourinho's sacking

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer met the media for the first time since being appointed as manager of Manchester United.

The 45-year-old former striker has been appointed in temporary charge until the end of the season following Jose Mourinho's sacking after two-and-a-half years in charge on Tuesday.

He will be assisted by Mike Phelan, who also returns the club, while Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna will stay on and join him as part of a new-look backroom team.

The Norwegian's first game in charge comes against former club Cardiff on Saturday night.

Here's everything he had to say on Friday morning:

Any doubts about taking the job?

No, of course not, I didn't think twice when they called me to sign me as a player and this is more of an honour and privilege to be helping the club for a few months.

What exactly is the job?

It's until the summer now, five or six months to just help out in the meantime while the club does the process to get the next manager.

First impressions of the players?

They’re footballers, they're happy, good mood, every time you meet new people you're excited, it's the first time you see them, I know a few, had them in the reserves and they've been great.

Solskjaer will begin his reign on Saturday (PA)

Want to stay permanently?

When you get a job like this and they ask you to sign for six months you say ‘yeah, I'm happy to help out’ and my job is to do as well as I can and they understand there are so many managers who would love to be manager of Manchester United. I'm one of them but it's not something we've talked about, they'll do a process for the next six months.

Will you have an influence on January transfer plans?

I will have an input but the job is to get to know the players, to observe them. I've seen more or less every game from Norway but to get to know the players, what do I think I can improve them on. The club have got the resources and scouting, they've got their targets but I've not sat down and talked about that.

Lukaku will miss the trip to Cardiff (Man Utd via Getty)

On Lukaku potentially missing the next two games on compassionate leave?

He's had a couple of days off, I've not seen him yet or Alexis, he’s on his way back as well, So I'm looking forward to seeing them.

Happy with backroom team?

It's Michael and Kieran that's been here for the whole season, they've had their say and input but there are so many games over the next 10 or 15 days. It's about picking a team that is going to get results but every player needs to know they're going to get their chance, Kieran and Michael have been great, it's great being back home and seeing the development, Michael, as good a coach and man manager as he is.

Can United still finish in the top four?

I think the first thing is the first game, think about getting my principles into the boys, get the players to understand how I want them to play and let's take the results later on to see how many points we can gather, but this club has made many, many points before but I'm not going to set that target now.

Solskjaer enjoyed a glittering playing career at Old Trafford (Getty)

Still feel familiar?

Of course it is, I've been here as a player, 11 years, coached three and a half years, best part 15 years of my life, it's a third of my life. I'm getting old but it's one of them that's life, that was the same when I signed as a player, Nicky Butt the first lad I meet, says hi to me, you're excited but it feels like home.

Is it a tricky job to turn United around?

My job is to help the players, make them grasp the opposition, they all want to be part of Manchester United, I'm here to help them, help the team, it’s down to man management.

How do you plan on doing that?

I had the best manager as a player and coach to deal with players and it's about communication, I'll sit down and speak to the ones not playing. When you're at Manchester United there are a set of demands and one is to be a team player and I don't think anyone has been on the bench more than me! That's all my comeback to players, you might come on make an impact.

On the influence of Sir Alex Ferguson:

He's influenced me with everything to be fair, the way he's dealt with people the way he was manager of the club, how he kept 25 international players happy and hungry, wanting to improve but also the staff in and around the place, he's been my mentor but I didn't understand early on he'd be my mentor. Towards the last, maybe the injury in 2003, I was making all the notes what he did in certain situations and I've already been in touch with him, there's no one to get better advice from.

Sir Alex was influential in bringing Solskjaer back (Reuters)

On his experience managing Cardiff:

Definitely, it's all I've had, about 300 or 400 games as a first team manager now and that period in Cardiff was a huge step for me and I've evaluated, reflected, made a few mistakes, but if you don't make mistakes you're not going to learn, I made a few of them, but they’re in the Premier League now.

Man management important with Paul Pogba?

It's about getting very player to the best, speaking to them, training ground, philosophy, principles, how we want to play, it’s not a matter of what team you're coaching they all want to have a picture of how you want to play, quality players so it will be easier to get players expressing themselves.

How Ferguson's approach can help with that?

You play with courage, go out there and express your skills, he said go out and express, take risks. The last game he had as a manager 5-5, that was almost the perfect end to him as a manager and I want the player to be similar, be the kids that love to play football and go out in front of the best fans in the world.