Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reveals dream to mirror Pep Guardiola at Barcelona
Solskjaer was confirmed as United’s new permanent manager on Thursday after a successful 99-day spell as caretaker following the sacking of Jose Mourinho
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Your support makes all the difference.Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed that he once hoped to be to Manchester United what Pep Guardiola was to Barcelona.
Solskjaer was confirmed as United’s new permanent manager on Thursday after a successful 99-day spell as caretaker following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.
The Norwegian always felt destined to take the reins at Old Trafford, having spent 11 years at the club as a player and started his coaching career there too.
Solskjaer took charge of United’s reserve team in 2008, just as Guardiola was coming to the end of his single-season spell with Barcelona B.
But whereas the Catalan was promoted manage first-team affairs at the Nou Camp, Solskjaer stayed with the reserves, eventually moving on after three years in the role.
“Naively enough or strangely enough, I have always had this belief and this strange dream about being the manager here,” Solskjaer said on Thursday, at his unveiling.
“When I started with the reserves, I thought: “Yeah I like this, I like this environment and of course when I saw the success… I know this...
“Guardiola, he went for the reserves and then went into Barcelona. Could I do the same? It didn’t happen.”
Guardiola is now, of course, in charge of cross-town rivals Manchester City and will come up against Solskjaer in a Manchester derby for the first time next month.
Solskjaer felt his dream of taking the helm at United was over after his first stint in Premier League management with Cardiff City during the 2013-14 season ended in relegation.
“Suddenly I am here,” he said. “I still believe in sports you get what you deserve and I worked very hard.
“I have been myself, I love working with human beings and maybe that is what has brought me here.”
Solskjaer did not bring any players to the club during the January transfer market but will look to put his stamp on the squad during the summer.
However, the new United manager insisted that signings will only be made where necessary and money will not be spent lavishly.
“United is a club that has money, and that has to be spent in a reasonable way,” he insisted. “People who know me, know that I will use that in a good way.
“We have a plan with the club, they have scouted players for longer than I have been here, and we have players that we need to keep. We will not spend money just to spend money."
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