In the Ruben Amorim era at Manchester United, sentimentality has no place. That is clear from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s recent revelation that only three current players have contacted him since he was dismissed as manager in November 2021.
The “baby-faced assassin” spent 14 years at the club – first as a prolific striker whose 126 goals in 366 games helped deliver six Premier League titles and a Champions League, then as a manager who, while tactically limited, always put the club before himself in order to try to pave the way for Old Trafford’s successful regeneration.
His admission underscores a sobering truth that the reverence once afforded to club icons no longer holds the same weight today. The INEOS-led hierarchy recently stopped its annual donations to the Association of Former Man United Players (AFMUP), a charity supporting ex-players, particularly from the pre-Premier League era. It seems the current players have followed suit, reflecting the same lack of sentiment.
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The lack of communication clearly hurts the 52-year-old
Although Solskjaer is now managing Besiktas in Turkey, having led them to nine wins in his first 17 games, a part of his heart will always remain in Manchester. He frequently reflects on his time at Old Trafford, and his admission that only three players he managed between 2018 and 2021 still kept in touch clearly struck a chord with the 52-year-old, even if he will never admit it. He said (watch the video below):
“For me, Harry [Maguire] has always been a leader and a fighter. I was never in doubt when I signed him and he walked in the door he would be captain for us. There is another captain there in Bruno [Fernandes]. The two of them are top human beings. I was so happy for them last night [following the Europa League win in Bilbao].
“Those two and Victor [Lindelof] are probably the only ones I have heard from in the club since I left. You want the best for them.”
Just by the look on his face, you can tell the lack of communication Solskjaer has received since his departure hurts him. As Simon Stone, the BBC journalist that conducted the interview, perfectly explained in his own article:
“He doesn’t say it – and wouldn’t because by his nature he is not one to take cheap shots, and he will never alter the fundamentals he took from his parents and has tried to pass on as a husband and father – but the lack of communication hurts.”
Ed Woodward hoped Solskjaer could bring back some positivity to a club that had grown toxic as Mourinho’s tenure ended in acrimony and finger-pointing – and in many ways, he succeeded.
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Solskjaer was known to distribute chocolate bars to staff members regularly, while today’s disconnect between the club and its supporters has led to even the smallest gestures being dismissed, often due to fears of going against their dystopian cost-cutting strategies.
Admittedly, on-pitch results weren’t always smooth, with a win rate of just 54.17% over 168 games. But during times of frustration, the Norwegian consistently managed to maintain harmony in the dressing room, and he, more than most, deserves to keep his legacy as a club icon intact.
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