PAUL INCE SAYS he is “sick and tired” of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s nostalgic approach, insisting the Manchester United manager must get over Alex Ferguson in a stinging attack.
Solskjaer was permanently appointed manager last month following an impressive interim spell following Jose Mourinho’s December sacking but seven defeats in his last nine games in charge has raised doubts.
United were swept aside 2-0 by neighbours and reigning Premier League champions Manchester City on Wednesday, leaving the Red Devils three points adrift of the top four.
Ince – who won two Premier League titles and 10 trophies in total during his time in Manchester – criticised Solskjaer’s approach and his determination to replicate iconic former boss Ferguson.
“Ole needs to get over Sir Alex Ferguson – he’s the United manager now. We’ve tried this nice approach, the stuff about Ole giving the tea lady chocolates and trying to do what Sir Alex Ferguson has done,” Ince wrote for Paddy Power.
“That’s in the past now, we need to move forward from that. All of this ‘Ole legend’ stuff – yeah, he scored the winner in the 1999 Champions League final, we get that. But he’s not a legend – he’s the manager of Manchester United.
“Regurgitating how he’s going to do it ‘the Fergie Way’ is pointless. It’s doing my head in and I know others feel the same. Ferguson isn’t the gaffer anymore – simple.
“No doubt he would help if Ole was in trouble, but I’m sick and tired of it, he’s the manager, he has to forget about the past and realise Ferguson isn’t the manager anymore, he is.”
Ince added: “I’m looking at the club and the future really worries me. They’re a long, long way from many teams. Why did those players perform so well when Ole came in and now they’re not? There’s no character, no leadership, no desire, but the manager has to motivate the players too. These are the same players that were playing brilliantly a few weeks ago.”
“I called it before he was made manager and got stick for it, but what I said was right,” said Ince, who was sceptical of Solskjaer during his caretaker period. “I want him to be successful, but I don’t think he’s capable of doing the job. It’s a huge rebuilding job. Will the players that are needed to carry it out want to come to Man United to play under him? I’m not sure. It’s different to [Pep] Guardiola and [Jurgen] Klopp trying to attract players.
“The fact is, they should’ve waited until the end of the season before they gave him the permanent job. There was no rush to appoint him, but everyone got caught up in the euphoria and was thinking with their hearts rather than their heads. If you went to the board now and asked whether they should’ve given him the job – I think we know what they would say.”
“Everyone jumped on the Ole bandwagon and now we’re seeing the repercussions,” Ince concluded.
“Zinedine Zidane was available at the time and Mauricio Pochettino has always been the right man to take United forward in my eyes. Whether I’m wrong or right, I’m entitled to my opinion.”
Gavan Casey and Murray Kinsella are joined by Andy Dunne to get stuck into last weekend’s Champions Cup semi-finals.:
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here:
Let’s cal him Rowan Van Der Osborne
@Stanley: …Jesus!…why waste the energy?
Good signing all round, he probably needs game time and with Murray and Casey going to be away with the Irish for a good chunk of next season, himself and Cronin should get plenty of games
@Patrick O Connell: cronin is still not fit after his acl operation, so another 9 is needed
@Chris Tobin: Probably just make do with short term signings during international windows, barring a long term injury to anyone. I really think the move like the Patterson one should be utilized more. One province gets emergency cover without a big outlay, while the the other gets valuable gametime into an unused player.
@Patrick O Connell: I wouldn’t be so sure about Casey and Murray both being away on international duty next season. Murray yes, Casey still a lot to do.
@David Finn: Casey will be in the squads, Cooney is out of favour, McGrath is behind JGP so they won’t be picked
Bit random is it not.
One Leinster guy out and then one in.
Maybe we thought he was south African.
@Paddy Waggon: change the record
@Tom Murphy: I don’t play record s
No big money older South African players available???
@Reg: priceless. That’s just so funny. How do you come up with comedy gold like that?
@michael o farrell: by , buying South Africans for every position.
@Reg: nope, Ulster have the NIQ spot taken regarding the scrum half position
Best of luck to him I hope it works out very well for him.
Patterson better than this guy, no need for it
@Sole Trader: Thanks for letting us know; perhaps you could give JVG a bell and let him know that too?
@Sole Trader: Patterson is just short term injury cover. He’s still on Leinster’s books.
@Richard James: I could do a better job than jvg mate, wouldn’t waste my voice.
@Richard James: infairness Sole probably knows more about rugby the Jvg .
@Paddy Waggon: thank you paddy wouldn’t be too difficult !
@Sole Trader: in that case I’d love to read your CV
@Richard James: So I’m guessing you’ve never once questioned a single decision made by a referee, or selection or substitution call made by a manager, or an on field decision made by a player etc? Not once?