OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER may be hoping to stick around at Manchester United after May, but Molde have insisted that they expect him to return to the club this summer regardless of how well his time at Old Trafford goes.
The 45-year-old returned to Manchester as interim boss in late December and has done incredibly well since replacing Jose Mourinho.
United have won five on the trot under Solskjaer, prompting the likes of former Manchester United defender David May to back him as a candidate for the full-time gig once his caretaker duties are done.
But Solskjaer has a job waiting on with Molde, the club having allowed him to take on the Untied job and miss out on the start of their own season.
And the Norwegian outfit say they fully expect him back this summer.
“The deal is until May 12. That is our Plan A and our Plan B,” Molde managing director Oystein Neerland was reported as saying by the Daily Mail.
“We have no Plan C. We have only spoken with United about this period, January to May. Nothing else. I’m staying with this plan.”
Molde’s season doesn’t kick off until March, though their pre-season will begin next week.
United have been widely linked with Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, with Solskjaer even admitting that links to the Spurs boss were “there for a reason”, but the impressive form of the club under their former star has sparked plenty of speculation about him staying on as boss.
Molde insist no contact has been made between the clubs over an extension to Solskjaer’s deal in the Premier League, with the Norway outfit counting on him coming back.
Neerland insists that he is sticking with the original plan.
Despite that, the Molde director couldn’t help but leave a bit of wiggle-room with how well things have gone at United under Solskjaer.
“I think Ole will be back in May. I think,” he reportedly said with a little grin.
Manchester United will be back on the pitch Sunday in the biggest test of their interim boss’ time in charge, with the club heading to London to take on Tottenham.
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He should be rediscovering his form & fitness with Munster not with the national team. Shouldn’t be a separate rule for him no matter how good he is at his best. Just lowers squad standards….
@ℝ: Who should be in the squad ahead of him, do you think? Marmion is barely back from injury and McGrath is still out for a few more weeks.
@Conor Matthews: Cooney and Blade, the two form Irish scrumhalves by a country mile… and especially for the Italy game. The pace the pair play is perfect for an ireland game to run Italy ragged, and test their fringe defences as unlike Murray both delight at sniping runs at defences. Cooney may be light on Caps but he has loads of experience having played for three provinces and excelled at all…
Yep, no sympathy for Murray or Sexton, thats 2 games they havent performed. Get in the queue and earn your places again boys. And this is why Joe should be rotating the squad more often. Like it was mentioned above, get your game time at the provinces…..and then bring that game to the national team, if youre good enough. Class is permanent, Joe says, yeah but who puts BOD (no disrespect meant) in at 13 these days. Form…form…form
@Trev: sexton was poor v England but he was running the game v Scotland until he got injured. We’d have won by 30 if he’d have stayed on.
@Chris Mc: complete tosh. Apart from the assist to stockdale sexton was bang average. Kicking out of hand was poor and his kick from the tee was embarrassing. He wasn’t as poor as Murray but don’t kid yourself if you think he’s in any better form. Last decent shift sexton put in was against NZ for club and country.
@Chris Mc: yes he got injured, is that your or my fault? No. As the saying goes……youre only as good as your last game. He’s had 2 now, & so has Murray. There is plenty of class waiting in the wings (but thats another discussion)…
Just re-read the headline, that is just pish! Either he can play at the highest level or…he cant. Simple until he gets back up there. But do not waste international minutes on him on the off-chance that he is going to take another 10 or so games to rediscover his form. Same with Sexton….Joe its time to start cracking the whip!!!
@Trev: I think Joe Schmidt will start Sexton and Murray.I also think he should
I’d really like to see the other players get a chance to prove their worth under pressure. What is going to happen in the RWC if a key member gets injured? The tournament is beyond Ireland realistically, so give Carbery etc starting roles. We don’t want a repeat of player burnout before the finals stages
Murray’s been way off it the last number of games ever since Exeter visited Limerick. Hope he rediscovers but can’t be at the expense of Ireland.